Pehelwans Shalavadi Devappa, Kanyal Devappa, Hemanna, Kurtakoti retired PSI Ramanna Halagi recall their kusti days, and rue modernisation. “Modernisation hit our traditional style and some youths are going to modern gyms. We want to continue the tradition and invite more youths to learn kusti. Jakkali is the only village where seniors are taking time to teach kusti to youths and we are happy about it.”

Sangamesh Menasagi, a local, said, “Jakkali village is famous as ‘Gandhigram’ but is also famous for kusti. Many wrestlers participate in regional and state-level dangal competitions. Our youths learn traditional dangal and we are proud that there are so many wrestlers in our village.”

Clock will turn back

With some youngsters slowly moving towards traditional gyms, kustipatus are hopeful that the clock will turn back and the kusti trend returns. This time, hundreds of pehelwans from Belagavi, Davanagere, Dharwad, Bagalkot, Lakkundi, Tadasinakoppa and other places took part in the Jakkali dangal.

Villagers remember Mookappajja Sankanur who is one of the inspirations for kusti competitions and garadi mane. Mookappajja was a famous pehelwan of yesteryear, and was fondly called Jakkali Mookappa Pehelwan. Hence, all villagers offer floral tributes to him before any competition.

GARADI MOVIES

Garadi mane are shown in some Kannada and Hindi films. Famous among them are Rajkumar’s Mayura, which created a trend of garadi mane and kusti in the 1980s. During those days, each garadi mane would have 40-50 pehelwans flexing muscles after watching the film Mayura, said a senior pehelwan from Jakkali

Bollywood actors Salman Khan’s ‘Sultan’, Aamir Khan’s Dangal, and Kannada actor Sudeep’s ‘Pehelwan’ have also created a trend favouring garadi mane style exercises.

DANGAL DIET PLAN

Jowar roti with sprouts, green vegetables, sajjige (sweet made of rava, jaggery), ghee karjur, 2 litres of milk a day. If a pehelwan cannot afford to get all these things, some village seniors sponsor them and make them ready to participate in competitions

Youths who go to cities and towns face the problem of quality food, and also quantity. In garadi mane and kusti training, they need desi cow milk, not milk in sachets. Food in cities and towns are not enough for pehelwans.

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