Kabaddi is an ancient Indian sport and it has been very popular almost everywhere in India. On the day when this low-key sport is getting popular, we are giving our readers a brief introduction to Kabaddi!
Information About Kabaddi
Kabaddi is not a sport meant for faint-hearted ones. Generally, A kabaddi match is played among two teams with 7 players on each side. Anyone who wishes to be a kabaddi player has to make sure that he/she has a good lung capacity with an amazing presence of mind and of course the much needed muscular strength.
Talking further about the kabaddi field, it is generally divided into two parts. Here, the players are classified as the antis and the raiders. The players on the defensive side are known as the antis whereas the ones on offence are known as the raiders.
Kabaddi is played on both national and international levels. When played on an international level, the dimensions of court for men is 10m x 13m whereas for women the dimension is 8m x 12m.
During the game, a raider is considered to be out when he/she crosses the boundary line, can’t hold their breath, a part of their body touches the lobby. Generally, six officials are appointed for supervising the match. These officials are as follows:
- Two empires
- A Scorer
- One Referee
- Two Assistant Scorers
History Of Kabaddi
Tukaram’s Abhang says Kabaddi was played by our beloved God “Krishna”. But according to other legends, kabaddi originated in Tamil Nadu over 4000 years ago. Earlier this sport was played by princes in order to display their strengths to the princess or their would-be brides.
Kabaddi has been a big part of Indian culture since the time of Mahabharata. Some believe that kabaddi was invented in the remembrance of Abhimanyu. One of the major reasons behind developing this sport was to develop defensive responses by individuals against attacks by several groups. One of the most interesting things about Kabaddi is that it is a sport where defence is done in a group whereas offence is done individually.
People born in India before the 1980’s would have surely played kabaddi in their childhood days. This sport is just not meant for entertainment but is a synonym for speed, fitness, thrill, etc. In the 1990s Kabaddi became a part of the Beijing Asian Games.
Modern Kabaddi
Kabaddi is called by various other names such as HA-DO-DO in Bangladesh and Eastern India, HU-TU-TU in Western India, Kaunbada in North India, last but not least Chedugudu in South India.
With the change in time, the game of Kabaddi kept evolving and getting better. Not only that but it is also played in various other forms under different names. For example, In South India, it is known as Veera Vilayatu.
After garnering popularity in India, kabaddi became a rage in over 65 countries all around the world. Currently, Kabaddi is the national sport of Bangladesh. But, it is highly popular among countries like India, Pakistan, Nepal, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Argentina, China, Iran, Canada, etc.
How to play Kabaddi (Introduction)
Kabaddi often has seen as one of the ancient wrestling sport. The word Kabaddi has come from a Tamil word, Kai-pidi which means “holding hands”. Kabaddi is popular not only in India but it is a National Game of Bangladesh as well. Most of the Indian states do play this game, but it is far more popular in the villages of Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat. Many of these states even call Kabaddi ‘Hu Tu Tu’.
Kabaddi Game Rules
Understanding the game of Kabaddi is very simple. It is a seven a side game where one player from one side chants “kabaddi…kabaddi..kabaddi..” and enter’s the opposition’s half and tries to touch at least one player of the opposition so that he can go back to his own half safely. On the other hand, all of the seven players try to stop that opposition player to go back to his half safely by trying to grab him and keep him under their control till he loses his breath. If a player touches the opposition player and returns to his half safely then not only the player whom he has touched is out but he can make a player alive from his own side who had been out before him, just in case.
International Competitions
- Kabaddi World Cup: India has come out winners when two different kinds of Kabaddi world cups were held by two different organizers.
- World Kabaddi League: It is based on Formula 1 and it will be played between August and December 2014 where teams will travel across four continents. The Bollywood actors have purchased a few of the WKL teams.
- Apart from these two, a Pro-Kabaddi competition or league is also starting in India in which players from various countries are involved.
Kabaddi Federations around the World
- The Asian Kabaddi Federation – AKF
- The Asian Amateur Kabaddi Federation – AAKF
- The Kabaddi Federation of India – KFI
- Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India – AKFI
- Pakistan Kabaddi Federation – PKF
- The Bangladesh Amateur Kabaddi Federation –BAKF
- The Iran’s Amateur Kabaddi Federation – IAKF
- The England Kabaddi Federation UK – EKF
Other Nations in which Kabaddi is popular: Chinese Taipei, Nepal, Malaysia, South Korea, Thailand, New Zealand, and Canada.
Who is considered to be the father of Kabaddi?
Harjeet Brar Bajakhana (5 September 1971 – 16 April 1998) is considered to be the father of Kabaddi. He was a professional Kabaddi player who played as Raider in circle style kabaddi. He was born in Bajakhana village, Punjab, India.
What do you mean by Super 10 in Kabaddi?
The term Super 10 refers to a situation where a raider gets 10 or more points in a single match. These points can be both a bonus and touchpoints. But, these points can never be the ones rewarded to the overall team. (like technical points).
Why is Kabaddi not included in the Olympics?
The biggest reason why kabaddi is still not included in the Olympics is the absence of professional Kabaddi associations and leagues. Apart from that, if a sport has to qualify for the Olympics, it has to be played in 75 countries and 4 continents. This particular reason diminishes the chances of kabaddi being included in the Olympics.
What is the match duration of Kabaddi?
The match duration is different for Men and Women.
For Men and Junior boys
The overall match is of 40 minutes. It is then divided into two halves of 20 minutes each. Among both the halves, there is a break of 5 minutes each.
For Women, Junior Girls, Sub-Junior Boys, and Girls
The overall match is of 30 minutes. It is then divided into two halves of 15 minutes each. Among both the halves, there is a break of 5 minutes each.
What is the age criteria for playing Kabaddi?
There is a certain age criterion for playing Kabaddi,
For Senior Men and Women:
There is no specific age for this category. It is open to everyone.
Junior Boys and Girls:
The player should be 20 years of age or below that on the last date of the event.
Sub- Junior Boys and Girls:
The player should be 16 years of age or below that on the last date of the event.
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