SWAPNIL SANSAR, ENGLISH WEEKLY,LUCKNOW, 21,MAY, 2019 (06) The "Great" Gama Agency. The "Great" Gama also known as "Gama Pahalwan" born Ghulam remained defensive, but in the second bout, Gama went on the offensive. Muhammad, in 22 May 1878 , , British , was a Kashmiri Despite severe bleeding from his nose and ears, he managed to deal out a Muslim wrestler. He was awarded the Indian version of the World Heavyweight great deal of damage to Raheem Bakhsh.By 1910, Gama had defeated all the Championship on 15 October 1910. Undefeated in a career spanning more than prominent Indian wrestlers who faced him except the champion, Raheem 50 years, he has been billed as the greatest pahalwan of his time. After Bakhsh Sultani Wala. At this time, he focused his attention on the rest of the Independence in 1947, Gama moved to the newly created state of world. Accompanied by his younger brother Imam Bakhsh, Gama sailed to .Ghulam Muhammad, whose nickname was gama, was born in the England to compete with the Western Wrestlers but could not gain instant entry, family of a renowned wrestler, Muhammad Aziz of Punjab. He was from a because of his lower height.In , Gama issued a challenge that he could Kashmiri family of Bhat clan. Maharaja Bhawani Singh, the ruler of the princely throw any three wrestlers in thirty minutes of any weight class. state of Datia, Madhya Pradesh patronized the young wrestler and his brother This announcement however was seen as a bluff by the Imam Bakhsh. Gama was first noticed at the age of ten when he entered a wrestlers and their wrestling R. B. Benjamin.For a strongman competition held in , which included many grueling exercis - long time no one came forward to accept the challenge. In es such as squats. The contest was attended by more than four hundred order to break the ice, Gama presented another challenge to wrestlers and young Gama was among the last fifteen. At that point the specific heavy weight wrestlers. He challenged Stanislaus Maharaja of Jodhpur announced Gama as the victor due to his remarkable Zbyszko and , either he would beat them or pay show of enormous stamina and dedication among the many older them the prize money and go home. The first professional wrestlers.Gama’s daily training consisted of grappling with forty of his fellow wrestler to take his challenge was the American Benjamin wrestlers in the court. He used to do five thousand Baithaks (squats) and three Roller. In the bout, Gama pinned Roller in 1 minute 40 seconds thousand Dands (pushups).Gama’s daily diet was ten liters of milk, a pound and the first time, and in 9 minutes 10 seconds the other. Second day, he defeated a half of crushed almond paste made into a tonic drink along with fruit juice and 12 wrestlers and thus gained entry to official tournament.He was pitted against other ingredients to promote good digestion. This high protein and high energy world champion and the date of bout was set as 10 diet helped him accumulate muscle mass.Fame came to Gama at the age of 17 September 1910. The match was contested over prize money and the John Bull when he challenged the then Indian Wrestling Champion, middle aged Raheem Belt. Within a minute, Zbyszko was taken down and remained in that position Bakhsh Sultani Wala, a Muslim wrestler from , now in Punjab, for the remaining 2 hours and 35 minutes of the match. There were a few brief Pakistan. At about 7 feet tall, with a very impressive win-loss record; Raheem moments when Zbyszko would get up, but he just ended back down in his pre - was expected to easily defeat the 5'7" Gama. Raheem's only drawback was his vious position. Crafting a defensive strategy of hugging the mat in order to nul - age as he was much older than Gama, and near the end of his career. The bout lify Gama’s greatest strengths, Zbyszko wrestled the Indian legend to a draw continued for hours and eventually ended in a draw. The contest with Raheem after nearly three hours of grappling, though Zbyszko’s lack of tenacity angered was the turning point in Gama's career. After that, he was looked upon as the many of the fans in attendance. The two men were set to face each other again next contender for the Indian Wrestling Championship. In the first bout Gama on 17 September 1910. On that date, Zbyszko failed to show up and Gama was announced the winner by default. He was award - ed with the prize money and much famed John Bull Belt.Receiving this belt entitled Gama to be called Rustam-e-Zamana or World Champion.During this tour Gama defeated some of the most respected grapplers in the world, "Doc" Benjamin Roller of the United States, Maurice Deriaz of France, Johann Lemm (the European Champion) of Switzerland, and Jesse Çè¥æ§Áü è ÚUÁð´ ܹ٪¤ ~yzyy®wvw, °â°âÂè ~yzyy®®w~®, §×ÚUÁ‹ð âè Âçé Üâ v®®, Peterson (World Champion) from . In the match against Roller, Gama threw "Doc" 13 times w{w~~~~, ÈæØÚU v®v, °ÕÜé ‹ð â v®}, ×çãÜæ ãËð ÂÜæ§Ùü v®~®, ¿æ§ËÇ ãËð ÂÜæ§Ùü v®~}, ȤæØÚU âçßâü ¥æÜ×Õæ» in the 15 minute match. Gama now issued a chal - wyzzzzz, ¿õ·¤ wwzxv}}, ãÁÚUÌ»Á´ w{wwwww, °âÁèÂèÁè¥æ§ ü w{{}vvv, »æÁèÂÚé U wxy}v®®, Õè·¤Ô ÅUè ®zwvy- lenge to the rest of those who laid claim to the World Champion's Title, including Japanese Judo w~}www, Âçé Üâ SÅUàð æÙ ·¤‹Åôþ Ü M¤× www~~~~, ¥æÜ×Õæ» wyzvw®z, ¥Üè»Á´ wxwy~x®, ¥×èÙæÕæÎ wwwy{xz, champion Taro Miyake, ·¤ñ ‡ÅU wyz{xww, ç¿ÙãÅU w}vz}xw, ¿õ·¤ wwzzy|w, ãâÙ»Á´ w|}{z~w, ãÁÚUÌ»Á´ wwwwxxx, ×çãÜæ ÍæÙæ of Russia and Frank Gotch of the United States - each declined his invitation to enter the ring to wvvv{z, ãâé Ùñ »Á´ wwvzxzw, »æÁèÂÚé U wxyy~®®, »ô×Ìè Ù»ÚU wx~xy®®, ·¤ñ âÚUÕæ» www|{|, ¹æÜæ ÕæÁæÚU face him. At one point, in order to face some type ww{~®®y, ·¤ë c‡ææÙ»ÚU wy|®{®{, ×çÇظ æß´ wx{w{®®, Ùæ·¤æ w{}yw}{, â¥æÎÌ»Á´ w{y~zz{, ÌæÜ·¤ÅUôÚUæ of competition, Gama offered to fight twenty wyv}|v}, Ææ·¤é ÚU»Á´ wwy~~~v, ßÁèÚU»Á´ wwwx}x{, §ÅUõÁ´ æ ®zwvw-w~{ww|, Âßê ü âç·¤Üü ¥æÜ×Õæ» ~yzyy®x}x}, English wrestlers, one after another. He announced that he would defeat all of them or ¥ææçàæØæÙæ ~yzyy®x}yv, Õ‹ÍÚUæ ~yzyy®x}yx, ·¤ñ ‡ÅU ~yzyy®x}yz, »õÌ×ÂËÜè ~yzyy®yw®{, ãÁÚUÌ»Á´ pay out prize money, but still no one would take ~yzyy®x}zx, ãâé Ùñ »Á´ ~yzyy®x}zy, ·¤ë c‡ææÙ»ÚU ~yzyy®x}y{, ×çãÜæ ÍæÙæ ~yzyy®x}{®, ×æÙ·¤ Ù»ÚU up his challenge.Shortly after his return from England, Gama faced Raheem Bakhsh Sultani ~yzyy®x}{x, âÚUôÁÙè Ù»ÚU ~yzyy®x}{~, Åþæ‹â »ô×Ìè âç·¤üÜ ¥Üè»´Á ~yzyy®x}x~, ç¿ÙãÅU Wala in . This bout eventually ended ~yzyy®x}y{x, ãâÙ»Á´ ~yzyy®x}zw, »æÁèÂÚé U ~yzyy®x}y}, »ô×Ìè Ù»ÚU ~yzyy®x}y~, »Çé ¸ Õæ the long struggle between the two pillars of Indian wrestling of that time in favour of Gama and he ~yzyy®x}zv, §ç‹ÎÚUæÙ»ÚU ~yzyy®x}}x, ÁæÙ·¤èÂÚé U× ~yzyy®x}|}, ×çÇظ æß´ ~yzyy®x}{y, ×ãæÙ»ÚU won the title of Rustam-e-Hind or Champion of ~yzyy®x}z~, çßÖçê ̹‡Ç ¸ ~yzyy®x}}®, Âçp× âç·¤Üü ¥×èÙæÕæÎ ~yzyy®x}y®, ¿õ·¤ ~yzyy®x}y|, India. Later in his life when asked about who was his strongest opponent, Gama replied, "Raheem ·¤ñ âÚUÕæ» ~yzyy®x}y{, ¹æÜæ ÕæÁæÚU ~yzyy®x}yy, Ùæ·¤æ ~yzyy®x}{|, â¥æÎÌ»Á´ ~yzyy®x}|®, Bakhsh Sultani Wala".After beating Raheem ÌæÜ·¤ÅUôÚUæ ~yzyy®x}|v, Ææ·¤Úé U»Á´ ~yzyy®x}|w, ßÁèÚU»Á´ ~yzyy®x}|y, ÂæÚUæ ~yzyy®x}|z, Îãð æÌ âç·¤Üü Bakhsh Sultani Wala, Gama faced Pandit Biddu, who was one of the best wrestlers in India of that Õè·¤Ô ÅUè ~yzyy®x}yw, »ôâ槻ü Á´ ~yzyy®x}zz, ·¤æ·¤ôÚUè ~yzyy®x}z{, §ÅUõÁ´ æ ~yzyy®x}z{, ×ôãÙÜæÜ»Á´ time (1916), and beat him. In 1922, during a visit ~yzyy®x}{z, ×æÜ ~yzyy®x}{v, ×çÜãæÕæÎ ~yzyy®x}{w, Ù»ÚUæ× ~yzyy®x}{{, çÙ»ôãæ to India, the Prince of Wales presented Gama ~yzyy®x}{}, ÂèÁè¥æ§ ü ~yzyy®x}|{, °°âÂè R¤æ§× ~yzyy®v®}~, Âßê è ü ~yzyy®v®}|, »æý ×è‡æ ~yzyy®v®}x, with a silver mace, which was symbolic of the one that is carried by the Hindu deity Hanuman, who Åþæ´â »ô×Ìè ~yzyy®v®}{, Âçp× ~yzyy®v®}}, ÅUñþçȤ·¤ ~yzyy®v®}z, ÚUðÜßð ~yzyy®®xy®, °Ü¥ô represents strength and valour. Gama did not ~yzyy®x}|~, çßÏæÙ âÖæ ~yzyy®vz®x, ÿæ˜ð ææçÏ·¤æÚUè ¥æÜ×Õæ» ~yzyy®vy}~, ¥Üè»Á´ ~yzyy®vy~y, Ձàæè have any opponents until 1927, when it was announced that Gama and Zbyszko would face ·¤æ ÌæÜæÕ ~yzyy®vz®®, ¿õ·¤ ~yzyy®vy~v, »ô×Ìè Ù»ÚU ~yzyy®vy~~, ãÁÚUÌ»Á´ ~yzyy®vy~z, ¹æÜæ ÕæÁæÚU each other again. The day finally came in 1928 ~yzyy®vy~{, ×çÜãæÕæÎ ~yzyy®vy~w, ×ôãÙÜæÜ»Á´ ~yzyy®vy~x, ×ãæÙ»ÚU ~yzyy®vy~}, âÚUôÁÙèÙ»ÚU when both wrestlers met again in . The result of the bout was quick when Gama threw ~yzyy®vy~®, ÅUçþñ Ȥ·¤ ~yzyy®vz®v, ·¤ñ âÚUÕæ» ~yzyy®vy~|, »æÁèÂÚé U ~yzyy®x}|~, Áè¥æÚUÂè ~yzyy®v{~{, Zbyszko in only 42 seconds. At forty-eight years ÚUôÇßÁð ¥æ×ÜÕæ» wyz}®~{, ¿æÚUÕæ» wyz®~}}, ·¤ñ âÚUÕæ» wwwwz®x, °ØÚUÜæ§‹â §ç´ ÇØÙ °ØÚUÜæ§â´ www{{wx, old he was now known as theThe Great Gama died in , Pakistan on 23 May 1960, after a çÚUÁßàüð æÙ ÂÀê ÌæÀ wyx{vxw, °ØÚU §ç‡ÇØæ w{x}{®®, ÁÅð U °ØÚUßÁð wwx~{vy, °ØÚUÂôÅU ü wyxy®®~, ÚUÜð ß ð ÂÀê ÌæÀ long period of illness and general neglect.The vxxv,vxxw, ÂÀê ÌæÀ vxw,vxz, çÚUÁßàüð æÙ w{xz}yv, ÕæÎàææãÙ»ÚU wxz}v}w, çàæ·¤æØÌ wwv||~v, €UÜÕ ¥ßÏ portion of land given by Punjab Government (Pakistan) was used to treat his heart and asth - çÁ×¹æÙæ wwvzyx{, ܹ٪¤ €UÜÕ ww|x~xw, »ôËÈ €UÜÕ www®{xv, °×Õè €UÜÕ wy}®®yz, Ââðý €UÜÕ www®{®v, ma, and Gama was to face difficult days. G. D. °ÕÜé ‹ðð â ÕÜÚUæ×ÂÚé U ¥SÂÌæÜ wwwy®y®, çâçßÜ ¥SÂÌæÜ ww®®{z, çâçßÜ ¥SÂÌæÜ ×ãæÙ»ÚU wxwv|}y, ·¤ñ ‡ÅU Birla, an industrialist and wrestling fan, donated ¥SÂÌæÜ wy}®}vx, ×çð Ç·¤Ü ·¤æÜÁð wwz|yz®, °âÁèÂèÁè¥æ§ ü w{{}|®®, §ç‡ÇØÙ ÚUÇð ·¤ý æâò wwwzvz~, ¥SÂÌæÜ ₹2,000 and a monthly pension of ₹300, and after this generous help, the Government of Pakistan ÕÜÚUæ×ÂÚé U ¥SÂÌæÜ wwwy®y®, çâçßÜ ¥SÂÌæÜ wx~®®|, çâçßÜ ¥SÂÌæÜ ×ãæÙ»ÚU wxwv|}y, ȤæçÌ×æ ¥SÂÌæÜ increased the pension to Gama and supported wxwxv~z, °âÁèÂèÁè¥æ§ ü wyy®®®z-{-|, âßð æ ¥SÂÌæÜ wx{xvzv, ÙèÚUæ ãæçSÂÅUÜ wxww®®x, wxxxx|z, ©ç×Üü æ his medical expenses.Today, a doughnut-shaped exercise disc weighing 95 kg, used by him for ãæçSÂÅUÜ w|z|}w~w|z, wxwyywz}, çßß·ð ¤æÙ‹Î ÂæÜò è €UÜèçÙ·¤, çÜÕ â‹ð ÅUÚU www®{z~, ¥ßÏ ãæçSÂÅUÜ wyzy~ww, squats, is housed at the National Institute of ÅUèÕè €UÜèçÙ·¤ w{~x~zz, Üæ§È Üæ§Ù w|{xyxx, ÚUÜð ß ð ãæçSÂÅUÜ wx}}w®x Sports (NIS) Museum at Patiala.(WKKP)