Wrestlers, with their heads shaved and equipped with spiked knuckledusters, engage in combat

Mysuru: Vajra Mushti Kalaga, a nearly extinct form of traditional wrestling, sprang back to life during the Vijayadashami celebrations at Mysore Palace yesterday. The duels featured Balarama Jatti from Mysuru against Narayana Jatti from Bengaluru and Raghavendra Jatti from Channapatna against Srinivasa Jatti from Chamarajanagar.

Held at Savaari Thotti near Aane Bagilu in the Palace, the event maintained its age-old customs and fervour, marking the start of the Dasara procession. According to tradition, once the wrestlers don their Vajra Mushti (knuckledusters) and engage in combat, the moment blood is drawn from the head of one wrestler, it signals the beginning of the grand procession later that day.

Wrestlers, with their heads shaved and equipped with spiked knuckledusters made of metal and ivory, engage in combat. These sacred knuckledusters, owned by the royal family, are first blessed with a puja before being handed to the fighters.

Using one arm to deflect blows, each wrestler aims to land a strike on their opponent’s shaven head with the knuckleduster-bearing hand. The bout ends as soon as blood is drawn.

Before the event, the two pairs of Jattis assembled at a special Akhada (arena) made of red soil, awaiting the royal family’s signal to start. Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, the titular head of the Mysore royal family and the MP of Mysuru-Kodagu, performed the Kooshmanda and Uthara Puja at Kalyana Thotti, giving the go-ahead for the event. The Jattis then performed a puja to Kuladevi Nimbujamba before engaging in battle. As the fight progressed, one of the Jattis was struck and blood began to ooze from his head, prompting the Jasbandis (referees) to declare the bouts over. Akhada mud was applied to the wound and Yaduveer awarded the wrestlers with ‘Bhakshis’ (monetary gifts).

While Vajra Mushti Kalaga is no longer a serious combat sport, it remains a symbolic display of the region’s martial traditions during events like Dasara. The Jattis practice at the Akhada for over 45 days leading up to the festival, and the referees ensure that no serious injuries occur during the brief contest. The match, often lasting just a few seconds, concludes as soon as blood is drawn from one of the combatants.