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Pehlwani (also called kushti) is a type of wrestling which originated in India and other areas of south Asia which consist of aspects from two other traditional forms of wrestling, mall-yuddha and koshti pahlavani.

Most moves that are part of major forms of wrestling today, like pins, locks, throws, and submission holds, are present in pehlwani. Strikes and kick are not permitted. The most commonly used moves are the shoulder throw and strangle pin.

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Fights are conducted on circular shaped area that is 14ft in diameter. The surface is a dirt floor with loose sand cover to prevent injuries. The duration of a fight is decided before the start of the fight. Most fights are usually for 25-30 minutes, and can additionally be extend for another 10-15 minutes.

A wrestler can win the fight outright by simultaneously pinning both the shoulders and the hips on to the ground. Fights can also be won by a knockout, referee stoppage or submission. There are variations of Pehlwani where outright wins can be achieved by just pinning the shoulders onto the ground. In case where an outright winner does not emerge, the judges decide the winner of the fight.

There are no officially sanctioned competitions; fights are usually conducted in villages as part of festive celebrations.

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• Beeni Wrestling — also called Asian arm wrestling, involves two competitors attempting to break free from their competitor’s hold.
• Vajra-mushti — a form of Indian wrestling in which a knuckleduster-like weapon called the Vajra-mushti is employed.
• Boli Khela — a form of wrestling that is practiced in Bangladesh and India.
• Mongolian Wrestling — a folk wrestling style from the Mongolian region, in which the aim is to get your opponent to touch his upper body, knee or elbow to the ground.

Related Pages

• About Types of Wrestling
• Complete list of sports
• The Encyclopedia of Sports
• Sport in India