Wrestling News: The shadow of covid-19 is now falling over mud wrestling competitions ingeniously known as dangals which has put another season in danger. Dangals are organised during the Hindu month of Saawan and the season lasts until Diwali. However, as covid-19 numbers continue to rise in India, organisers have expressed their reservations over hosting the event.
‘Nag Panchami’ dangals are the first big event in the month of Sawan. They are held across Uttar Pradesh and is nothing less than a spectacle. But this year, uncertainty looms over it as the state government has not yet issued any guidelines for the sport. Mukesh Kumar, head of the District Wrestling Association in Prayagraj who also runs the Railway Akhara in Jhansi says that the wrestlers in UP had spent there entire time training for this season. “We have wrestlers from Gorakhpur, Jaunpur, Pratapgarh, and Bhadohi but we have no idea whether the wrestling competitions would be organised or not”.
The main attraction of the season is the women wrestling matches which are held on the outskirts of Lucknow every year. It is the most-awaited event and thousands flock to watch women wrestlers in the mud arena. Many of these wrestlers come from a humble background and rely on such dangals to earn a living.
Rani, who was to participate this year hopes that the dangals does not get cancelled. “We prepare for the match for the entire year for the Nag Panchami dangals. The prize money is huge which is crucial for us. It helps us maintain our diet and also help the family financially. I do hope that the event is not cancelled this year because that would leave everyone severely disappointed”.
She, however, reckons that safety is the foremost which beyond a point cannot be followed in wrestling. “You cannot wear a mask during wrestling and neither can one maintain social distancing. The audience can be made to maintain a distance and sanitize hand regularly but during the victory lap they would gather around to give you blessings and prizes,” she added.
Punjab’s dangal season stare at an uncertain future
Jaskanwar Gill aka Jassa Patti is hailed as the greatest mud wrestler there ever was. He has won hundreds of dangals and boasts a mass fan following in the wrestling circuit. But the ongoing pandemic has put doubts on this year’s dangal season in Punjab which begins from Rakshabandhan. “The main season in Punjab kicks off from Rakhi and there are 50 dangals at a time across Punjab, he told WrestlingTV, “but the continuous rise in covid cases it will be difficult to organise any dangal event this year”. The season lasts for three months reaching the crescendo during Diwali.
Krishan Saroha, Haryana wrestler says organisers in the state are reluctant to host any mud wrestling competition this year. If the Sawan dangals get whitewashed, it would be the second season after the May-June season which will get cancelled due to covid. “I am constantly in touch with the organisers but everybody has said no to the possibility of holding dangals this year”.
