The Indian version of WWE is here to stay

Call it bloodshed or ritual, but the Dasara celebration does have a custom that ends with shedding human blood.

It is called Vajra Mushti (diamond fist) wrestling and could easily pass for the Indian version of WWE. In this brutal and necessary evil in the Dasara festivities, four pairs of jetties (pahalwans or wrestlers) are let out in an akhada (a traditional ring) to pick their opponent and fight in two different bouts. The rule is one of them should bleed and his blood should redden the soil. What is more brutal is that the jetti, who draws the first blood, has to injure his opponent with his hand or nails.

Explaining the practice, a former pahalwan of Mysore, Ranganath said, “It is customary that blood has to wet the ground on this day before the Dasara procession begins. This is just symbolical; there is no winner and loser. The one who bleeds is considered to be a noble soul and given special bakshish, while other jetties give him a ride on their shoulders.”

Surprisingly, human rights activists have not objected to it. Since this ‘bloodsport’ has been in practice since the days of royal rule, it could easily make its way into the history books.