Legendary Gama Pehalwan’s birthday passes silently

KARACHI: Despite remaining undefeated during his illustrious 52-year of wrestling career, the birthday of legendary Gama Pehalwan passed silently at Lahore on Wednesday.

“Yes there is complete calm on the occasion of his birthday today (May 22) in Lahore. In earlier regimes, dangals used to be held here to observe his birthday. But nothing is there this year and its shocking,” Gama’s grandson Nasir Bholu Pehalwan told ‘The News’ from Lahore on Wednesday.

“His is a long and interesting history. He never slept with peace for many years and remained awfully busy in achieving his goals. He was extremely hard working Pehalwan and is an inspiration for generations to come,” Nasir said.

“He had six sons and four daughters and none of them are alive these days,” Nasir informed.Pakistan’s premier wrestler and two-time beach wrestling world champion Mohammad Inam also paid tribute to Gama for his outstanding contribution to wrestling.

“Gama is a legendary Pehalwan. We should learn from his wrestling career. Even Bruce Lee used to follow him. I believe that he was the greatest pehalwan of the last century and I don’t think that the world will ever produce a grappler like him,” Inam told ‘The News’ on Wednesday.

Born on May 22, 1878, in Amritsar, Gama, whose real name was Ghulam Mohammad, was the grandfather of Kalsoom Nawaz, late wife of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

According to history, after the death of his father Mohammad Aziz, when Gama was just six-year old, his maternal grandfather Nur Pehalwan started looking after him. After his death his uncle Ida looked after him. Ida, also a wrestler, also trained Gama. When only ten-year old, Gama entered a strongman competition in Jodhpur in 1888. The event contained tough exercises. The contest was attended by more than 400 wrestlers and Gama was among the last 15 and was named winner by Maharaja of Jodhpur due to his tender age. Gama was, subsequently, taken into training by Maharaja of Dati. Gama used to train strenuously. He was always seen grappling with numbers of fellow wrestlers at the wrestling arena. He used to do around 5000 squats at an average speed of 100 to 200 squats per minute and 3000 push-ups, at an average speed of 50 to 100 push-ups per minute. Gama’s daily diet included ten-litre milk, mixed with one and a half pounds of crushed almond paste, six pounds butter, three buckets of seasonal fruits, two kilogramme desi mutton, six desi chickens and juices. At 17, Gama shot to fame when he challenged the then Indian wrestling champion Raheem Bakhsh Sultani Wala, who belonged to Gujranwala.

An impressive career by his side, tall Raheem was expected to down Gama. But it did not happen. Rookie Gama extended terrific fight which eventually ended in a draw. After that he was looked upon as the next contender for the title of Rustam-e-Hind or the Indian Wrestling Championship. In the first bout Gama remained defensive, but in the second, he went on the offensive. Despite severe bleeding from his nose and ears, he managed to deal out a great deal of damage to Raheem. By 1910, Gama had defeated all prominent Indian wrestlers who faced him except Raheem, Rustam-e-Hind or the lineal champion of India. At this time, he focused his attention on the rest of the world. Accompanied by his younger brother Imam Bakhsh Pehalwan, Gama moved to England to compete with the Western wrestlers but could not gain instant entry because of his short height. In London, American Benjamin Roller accepted Gama’s challenge. In the bout, Gama pinned Roller in one minute and 40 seconds the first time and in nine minutes and ten seconds the other. On the second day he defeated 12 wrestlers and thus gained entry into official tournament.

Gama was scheduled to face world champion Stanislaus Zbyszko of Poland in the 250 pounds prize money final of the John Bull World Championships in London on September 10, 1910. The fight, eventually, ended in a draw after three hours of epic battle with Gama, showing power of a greatest heavyweight wrestler.

The duo were set to take on each other again on September 17, 1910. Zbyszko failed to show up and Gama was adjudged as the winner, thus claiming John Bull Belt which entitled Gama to be called Rustam-e-Zaman or world heavyweight champion. On the tour, Gama also downed some of the celebrated wrestlers of the world including Benjamin Roller of the United States, Maurice Deriaz of Switzerland, European champion Johann Lemm of Switzerland and world champion Jesse Peterson of Sweden.

Gama, at one point, offered to fight 20 English wrestlers one after another. He announced that he would defeat all of them or pay out prize money but still no one dared to take up his challenge.

After his return from England, Gama faced Raheem Bakhsh Sultani Wala in Allahabad. This bout eventually ended the long struggle between the two pillars of Indian wrestling of that time in favour of Gama. Gama won the title of Rustam-e-Hind or the lineal Champion of India. Later in his life when asked about who was his strongest opponent, Gama replied, “Raheem.”After beating Raheem, Gama also beat one of the best wrestlers of India Pandit Biddu.

Gama then eventually also defeated Zbyszko in Patiala in January 1928, beating him inside a minute, winning the Indian version of the lineal World Wrestling Championship. Following the bout, Zbyszko praised him, calling him a “tiger”. At 48, Gama was known as the “Great wrestler” of India.

After defeating Zbyszko, Gama beat Jesse Petersen in February 1929 in just one and a half minute. This also proved to be his last fight. In 1940s he was invited by the Nizam of Hyderabad and conquered all his fighters. The Nizam then sent him to meet Balram Heeraman Singh Yadav, who never faced any defeat. But the fight eventually ended in a draw. Heeraman was one of the toughest wrestlers for Gama to meet. After the independence in 1947, Gama moved to Pakistan. After his retirement, he trained his nephew Bholu Pehalwan, another great wrestler. Gama died in Lahore on May 23, 1960.