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39th State Malkhamb Championship: Artistry of pole wrestling and rope wrangling has city amazed
“I wish I had practiced sports when I was young. It is thrilling. I came to watch my friend’s son who is from Mumbai. It is the first time I have watched Malkhamb,” says Suhas Jadhav, a businessman.
Jigar.hindocha@htlive.com
How does scoring take place in Malkhamb – if you are a scribe, then it must be a question to bother about, but, if you are in the Malkhamb arena to enjoy the sport, then one cannot be disappointed.
Natarajasana, padmasana, paschimottanasana, mayurasan – for yoga regulars all these names are more than just tounge-twisters, it is a way of life. When these poses become acrobatics on a fixed pole, rope and hanging pole, one can easily be astonished.
“I wish I had practiced sports when I was young. It is thrilling. I came to watch my friend’s son who is from Mumbai. It is the first time I have watched Malkhamb,” says Suhas Jadhav, a businessman at the 39th State Malkhamb Championship taking place at Maharashtriya Mandal, Tilak road.
“I was just passing Tialk road and decided to come and have a look with my wife and two children. Now my kids are not ready to move as they are enjoying it so much. Both study in Convent schools, but I will find out where Malkhamb coaching takes place and send them,” says Harish Sakharkar, mechanical engineer.
“I always wanted to do Malkhamb, but we did not have a pole in our school ground,” recalls 70- year-old Ashok Joshi, who is accompaning his grandson who is participating at the state championship.
“Earlier, I used to stay in Dhule. I wanted my grandson Nitin to learn Malkhamb, and here he is,” adds Joshi.
Former state Malkhambites say
Malkhamb helped me a a lot during my service with the Border Security Force. I retired in 2008 and I started coaching at Anand nagar, Kothrud - Ravindra Pethe
After a long time I am having the best weekend. Whenever there is a tournament, I help the association with the organisation - Akshay Joshi
