Hyderabadi Pahalwan

Hyderabadi Pahalwans preparing for Kushti (Indian form of wrestling) during a competition held during the 1870s

Pahalwan ( Urdu پہلوان the word is originally derived from Persian ) also pronounced as Pehelwan, Pahelwan or Pehalwan means Wrestler in English. In hyderabad India, the word Pahalwan is generally called and related with two types of People.

• First, as it means Wrestler are those Pahalwans patronised by royalty as wrestlers during the princely era, who brought fame and respect for Hyderabad city by winning titles worldwide in Kushti (Indian free style wrestling).
• The other term of Pahalwan is as similar as Bhai of Bombay now (Mumbai), India, who afterwards of Indian Independence turned to the practice of landlords and consider as main War Lords in city crimes, mostly involved into crimes like Land grabbing, Extorting and Real estate.^[1]

Initially in Hyderabad, the Pahalwan were mostly Arab's (locally known as Chaush), Thus the name Pahalwan was given to those Chaush Wrestlers, and this brought them into the public eyes (Thus most of the people in Hyderabad understand, that all the pahalwan are chaush). In early days, they were respected by residents and were encouraged to settle public issues.^[2]

History

History of Chaush Pahalwan can be traced to the Nizam's era. It was in 1818 AD during Mir Akbar Ali Khan Sikander Jah, Asaf Jah III some of the Hadramut Arabs migrated to Hyderabad from Bhoslas of Nagpur and their discharge from Poona ( now Pune). Relations with Arabs became more stronger when the Nizam, Mahbub Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VI, gave asylum to the Sultan of Mukalla, Yemen. At that time foot soldiers were also brought in large numbers and settled in Hyderabad outskirts in barracks, the area which later came to be known as Barkas,^[3] They became part of the Nizam's irregular army and the Nizam also used them as Royal Guard.^[4]

Their decline started soon after India gained independence and the Nizam's reign was brought to end. In 1948, many descendants of families from Yemen were asked to leave by the Indian government, even as others stayed back arguing they were now Indian citizens. They said they were Hyderabadis and they spoke a distinct Hyderabadi lingo. Many of them were wrestlers and also promoted wrestling in Hyderabad. They had their own Akhada and Ustad.^[2][4]

Growth

Initially in Hyderabad, the Pahalwan were mostly Arab's (locally known as Chaush), Thus the title Pahalwan were given to those Chaush wrestlers, and this brought them into the public (Thus most of the people in Hyderabad understand all the pahalwan are chaush). In early days, they were respected by residents and were encouraged to settle public issues.^[5]

Pahalwan's used to get there earnings from small eateries or dairy farms or a small fruit business, they are now property owners and dealers. When local residents started going to Middle East ( Gulf countries ) for jobs in the 70's and some of those relatives are married to Middle East Arabs^[6] they would come back on vacations and buy plots. They were many empty sites in the Hyderabad specially Old City Hyderabad and at that time neither the revenue department nor the Wakf board used to have any control on the lands in those period.^[5]

Pahalwan are mostly Chaush but not all, started getting money from their children who had left for Gulf Countries (GCC). By late 70s and early 80s they started getting into the business of land dealings. They started settling land disputes and seeking a good margin out of these deals. Areas such as Talab Katta, Shaheen Nagar, Babanagar, up to Pahadi Shareef among others witnessed many land transactions. As land transactions here grew, and the money pouring into these deals multiplied, so did pahelwans.^[5]

But now Pahalwan, are known to be too big to be touched by the local police (the police, it is said, take no interest in the pahelwan cases) and too important to be patronised by many political parties. The growth of pahelwans is linked to the rising realty prices in Hyderabad over the last couple of decades. Specially with the boom in Real Estate and due to the development of Hyderabad International Airport in Shamshabad the neighbouring of Barkas.^[5][7]

Politicians in Hyderabad owe their growth, both financially and politically, to the Pahalwan. Political leaders have played a crucial role in making pahalwan bigger, stronger and their spirited political backing is always there.^[2][8]

Kushti(Indian Free Style Wrestlers) Pahalwan

• Some of famous Pahalwan who brought fame to the city of Hyderabad in the field of wrestling are the title owner like Hind Kesari, Bharat Kesari, Rustam I Hind and Andhra Kesari.

Hyderabad Kesari is sponsored by (GHMC) Hyderabad Municipality.

The famous Hyderabad Kesari takes place in Barkas, Hyderabad.^[9]

• The famous Wrestler Awad Bin Obaid Bayashoot Rustam-i-Hind & Indian National Wrestling champion. He is also an eight-time award winner of Andhra Kesari, Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad.^[9]

Mohsin Ali Second son of Chand Pahalwan, after winning Andhra Kesari, He wore the

1992 Colombia won India colours at junior world championship.

1994 Hungary participated and won Greco-Roman free style wrestling in world championship.

1996 Pakistan won the Quaid-e-Azam.

1996 Chennai, picked up a silver at the South Asian Federation Games. The fourth brother, Hamid Ali, represented India at a competition in Chicago, USA, in 1994.^[8]

Hamid Ali Son of Chand Pahalwan .

1994 Chicago, United States Represented India for Greco-Roman free style wrestling.^[8]

Mohammed Bin Ghouse jabri Mohammed Pahalwan Sixth son of Ghouse Pahelwan, after winning Bharat kesari in 2004, He wore the

2007 Hind kesari won By fall at Haliyal, Karnataka.

2009 Andhra kesari participated and won championship.

2011 Andhra kesari participated and repeated the victory by winning championship.

2015 1st Telangana Kesari Title Championship[2015] participated and won championship "By-fall".

• Akhada

Noorani Taleem (Ghouse Pahelwan Akhada), Barkas, Hyderabad.

Ali Ustad Taleem (Zafar Pehalwan)Yakutpura, Hyd 500023.

Samad Ustad Taleem (Samad Pehelwan)Dabeerpura.Hyd.

Taleem Hafaiz Ustad (Janasheen Mohammed Ghouse@ Afsar ) Riyasath nagar Hyd .

Baoum Akhada (Saud Baoum Pahelwan)

Bamas Akhada (Khaled Bamas Pahelwan)

Mohammed Bin Eisa Afeef Ustad Akhada

Saleh Bin Awad Al-Khalaqi Ustad Akhada

Saleh Jabri Akhada

hanuman vyayam shala(king koti)

• Oldie Popular Pehalwan's ^[10]

Yaba Chaouch (Mohammed Pahalwan)

Mohammed bin Omar Yafai a.k.a. (Mohd Pehelwan)

Sayeed Bin Ali as (Sayeed Pahalwan)

Sayeed Bin Tirif as (Sayeed Baam)

Mohammed Qamaruddin Khan (Chand Pahalwan)

Rafiq Bin Shimlan as (Rafiq Pahalwan)

Mohd Nayeem Chowdhry (Vakeel Pahalwan)

Saud Bin Sayeed Baoum

Khaled Bamas

Abdulla Bin Mohammed Bamaz

Mohammed Shah Rangelay

Balaji Singh Pehalwan

Punnu Phelwan

Shanker Phelwan

Munna Phelwan

Laddu Phelwan

Gulabsingh Phelwan

• Current Popular Pehalwan's

Mohammad Bin Ghouse Jabri (Mohammed Pahelwan)

Jaffar Bin Mubarak (Jaffar Pahalwan) (Saleh Khulaqi)

Usatad zada Hamza Bin Omer Al Jabri(Zafar Pahalwan)

Ustad zada Sohail Bin Abdullah Bin Omer Al Jabri (Sohel Pahalwan ) (cable mafia net )

Ustad zada Mohammed Omar (Azhar Pahalwan )

Ustad zada Muhammad Jaffar Pahalwan

Ustad zada Mohammed Abdullah Pahalwan

Ustad zada Mohammed Akbar pahalwan

Ustad zada Mohammed Abdul Khader Pahalwan

Sayeed Ba Jaber

Saleh Bamqaz

Mohammed Baqresa

Habeeb Abdullah Al Jeelani (Andhra kesri 2012)

Hisham Saeed Bin Ziyad Pahlwan

Suleman Baoum

Omer Bin Ginaf

Adil Bin Mahsan Jabri

Mohammed Naser Hussain Pahelwan (Kotla Alijah)

Reference List

Habeeb Abdullah Al Jeelani (Andhra kesri 2012)

 Pahelwan Suleman Baoum,

Abdullah Pahalwan (Hafaiz ustad Akhara) Mohammed Abdul Khader pahalwan ( Hafaiz ustad Akhara )