Mallakhamba: History and Key Facts

Mallakhamba, or Mallakhamb or Mallarkambam is a traditional sport, originating from the Indian subcontinent, in which a group of gymnasts perform aerial yoga and gymnastic postures using wrestling grips in concert with a stationary vertical pole. The word mallakhamba also refers to the pole used in the sport. The pole is usually made from shisham (Indian rosewood) polished with castor oil. Other popular versions of mallakhamba are practiced using a cane or a rope instead of a pole. The origins of pole dancing can be traced back to the sport of mallakhamba.

The name mallakhamba derives from the terms malla, meaning wrestler, and khamba, which means a pole. Literally meaning "wrestling pole", the term refers to a traditional training implement used by wrestlers.

On April 9, 2013, the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh declared mallakhamba to be an official state sport. By 2017, more than 20 other states in India had added it as one of their state sports.

Source and attribution

Text excerpted from Mallakhamba by Wikipedia contributors, available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0. The extract is abridged and formatting has been adjusted; the adapted text on this page is shared under the same licence. Revision history.