world narrows into a global village these forms of wrestling will cease to
be practiced. Yet, even with this possibility, the growth of wrestling as a
world sport and method of combat will continue.
Gene Tausk
See alsoBoxing, European; Europe; Gladiators; Masters of Defence;
Pankration; Sambo; Savate; Swordsmanship, European Medieval;
Swordsmanship, European Renaissance
References
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Tegner, Bruce. 1977. Bruce Tegner’s Complete Book of Jiu-Jitsu.New York:
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Weng, Chi-hsiu Daniel. 1984. Fundamentals of Shuai-Chiao: The Ancient
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Wrestling and Grappling: India
There can be no consideration of Indian wrestling as a sociocultural phe-
nomenon without a complete examination of the history out of which the
modern sport emerges. And this history is not shaped only by the form of
the sport as such, nor is it linear in any developmental, progressive sense.
Wrestling as a martial art is as closely linked to colonialism and national-
ism as it is to the ancient traditions of South Asian civilization; its form
emerges out of a more pervasive and complex concern with the place of the
body in society and the meaning of embodied practice in terms of religious,
moral, and political principles.
However, on a purely superficial level Indian wrestling is directly com-
parable to other martial arts, most notably and explicitly freestyle wres-
tling. Since the basic rules, moves, and techniques are almost identical, one
Wrestling and Grappling: India 719