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By Sayantani Deb
Guwahati, Nov 1 (101 Reporter/IANS): Traditional Bodo wrestlers help girls from the far reaches of the state put food on the table by beating competitors in tournaments.
Indira Daimary commits an hour to attending khemlainai classes at the Dao Hari Training Center in Udalguri every morning.
In the traditional Bodo form of wrestling, khollainai is not simply a sport or passion for Daimary, but a way to put food on the table. Thanks to the sport, several girls in Assam’s Bodoland are now leading a better life.
Born and brought up in a lower middle class family in Sarubhengra village of Udalguri, Daimary’s only desire since childhood was to support her parents.
“Being the eldest daughter of a daily wage worker, I faced poverty all my life. Managing everything, from food to clothing and education, was difficult for my parents,” said Daimary, now 20 years old.
Daimary learned about khollainai during a social gathering in late 2016, and entered the professional arena the following year.
It hasn’t been reviewed since. The game not only helps her maintain her physical fitness but also earns her money by winning championships.
“I couldn’t finish my education because of financial problems, but I want to at least fulfill the wishes of my three sisters, one of them wants to be a nurse and work in a famous hospital, so I plan to send it to Hyderabad to deal with it further. education,” said Daimary, who is the sole breadwinner of the family. With her income, she also repaired her house.
Teenager Sangita Kisko of Garubhasha village in Chirang, khollainai was surprised when she expected.
Narrating her story, Kisko shared, “I started learning Komlainai at the age of 10. Everything was going well until my father, who was a government employee, decided to live separately. My mother She was unable to meet her low salary as an ASHA worker.”
“I was then studying in a private English medium school that was charging good fees for admission, in class 10, which required a re-admission process, I decided to go there as my mother could not afford the fees. “
That was when she suddenly got an opportunity to participate in the khemlainai competition and register a win, earning Rs 5,000 as prize money.
“It helped me get into the same school,” she said.
“For me, khemlainai is everything. She showed me the way, giving me the confidence to continue both sports and education with the courage of all difficulties.”
An ancient tradition
Komlainai showcases the rich culture and heritage of the Bodo people, who have lived in the forests since several centuries ago. During that time, it evolved into a self-defense mechanism to protect themselves from wild animals.
Similar to kushti, khollanai participants are identified by aranai (a traditional Bodo cloth tied around the waist), which is red or green in color. The red player is called the agor, while the green player is the matha. All the words used in the game are written in Bodo language, such as khulum sewa (salute), juri (start), aobha (stop), sangrang (ready), su-bijitgiri (judge), bijitgiri (judge), khomlaigra (wrestler/ player) and derhasa (winners).
During the Bhaokhungri festival held in Kokrajhar every April, a grand khemlainai competition is organized by the Government of the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), with the aim of taking the traditional sport to the world and bridging the gap between communities in the region. Bodoland.
Not only Bodos and Adivasis in BTR, even Nepali, Gorkhali, Rajbonshi Bengali, Bihari and Assamese people have taken up the game, a sure way to promote harmony.
Economics plays an important role
All Assam Association General Secretary Khollainai Guno Shankar Wary informed that money is still the cause of concern to promote the game.
“The Youth Welfare and Sports Department of the BTR Government spends Rs 10 lakh annually to popularize khemlainai, along with other indigenous sports. Now, the organization organizes an open khemlainai league (where everyone can participate) can, regardless of age) However, it is necessary to organize junior, junior and senior leagues (both men and women) on a large scale. For this, we need additional financial support, “he insisted.
He said that organizing seminars and training for coaches, referees and referees has become a problem, “A substantial increase in donations is the need of the hour. The Assam government should support us financially.”
“Fortunately, we have a number of philanthropists from different sectors of society (businessmen, local leaders, intellectuals, sports lovers and charities), who sponsor the players’ uniforms or cover the cost of the rest. , accommodation and transport. They can support us financially, donate rice, vegetables, fruits and eggs to their farms.”
According to Mijing Narzary, a khemlainai coach at the Kokrajhar center of the Sports Authority of India (SAI), the three inter-district khemlainai title winners will get Rs 20,000, Rs 10,000, and Rs 5,000, respectively. On the other hand, the open competition will earn Rs 70,000, Rs 60,000, and Rs 50,000, respectively.
Match referees earn Rs 2,000 to 3,000 per day.
Pointing to the growing popularity of the game, Narzary said new coaching centers have been established across Assam. Besides, District Territorial Districts (BTAD) training centers in khemlainai are flowing to other districts like Goalpara, Sonitpur and Karbi-Anglong. “In residential campuses, food is provided by the administration, however, in regular campuses, students bring their own food or cook it.”
According to him, there are about 20 registered educational institutions, three of which are residential. Girls and boys between the ages of seven and 25 are trained here.
The road to recognition
A major development for the game came in 2013 when Komlainai was included in the Indigenous Games and Arts (IGMA) scheme under the Sports Authority of India. Archery, kabaddi, kalaripayattu, mukna, thang-ta, silambam, malkhamb and gatka were also part of the plan.
“The recognition changed the way people saw Khollainai. First, SAI selected 10 boys and 10 girls under the age of 14 and gave them training, shoes, uniforms and a scholarship of Rs 6,000 per year. ,” said Narzary.
“If the Indian government organizes national khemlainai competitions, there will come a day when these athletes can join the military, police and army,” Narzary said, adding that all women, regardless of age , they have to learn the game as it is. It is good for self-defense.
Everyone involved in the game wants a dedicated khomlainai stadium to come to Assam. Despite the perceived power, female athletes think there is room for improvement.
“We need better accommodation during competitions, we are often put in schools with poor floors and toilets. In addition, we need an official female coach to attract more girls to the sport,” she said. said Nigita Narzary, a player and coach of Khomlainai. .
Indira Daimary said, “I am trying in every possible way to create awareness about the youth game.”
On the other hand, Guno Shankar Wary dreams of a day when Khemlainai is recognized by the Indian Olympic Association and will be played by people all over the world.
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