The Programme

Kabaddi is the most popular of the games in this book. It has also been recently revived for entertainment by the formation of professional leagues.

The combative team sport originated in the ancient region. In addition to being a popular game in India, it is also played in Iran, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan. The game is derived from group hunting and village defence tactics. The word kabaddi has its origin in the Tamil phrase kai pidi, which means to hold hands. Rulers from Tamilnadu spread this game to Southeast Asia during their sea trade.

In this contact sport, one player charges into the opponent’s court and attempts to tag the nearby opponents, while all the other opponents manoeuvre to catch the raider.