While Pa. Ranjith’s Sarpatta Paramabari shed light on the boxers of north Chennai, the wrestlers of Royapettah failed to get adequate attention and urbanisation probably erased the sport from the area completely, even as this specific kind of wrestling went out of fashion.
Gotha, as it was known, is a Urdu word for wrestling. Tamil scholar and trade unionist Thiru. Vi. Kalyanasundaram, popularly known as Thiru. Vi. Ka., had written in detail about Gothas in his memoir. The expression ‘Gothavila Erankalama?’ (Shall we fight?) is quite common across Tamil Nadu.
“There are many wrestling grounds (Gothas) in Royapettah and important among them were the one in Kanni Thottam, one in Ayya Mudali Street, one in the coconut grove in Ambattan Lane and the fourth one in the corner of Kolakkaran Thoppu,” writes Thiru. Vi. Ka., who was also an expert in wrestling.
Those Gothas were run by Thambi Achari, Rajagopal Nayakar, Vadivel Mudaliar and Mustafa. “Vadivel Mudaliar was an expert in training race horses and bulls for rekla race. He earned a name in the sport,” explains Thiru. Vi. Ka.
The wrestling grounds offered training in Silambam, and fighting with knives, small sticks, and paana sticks. The performers were called vastat.
In the early 1900s, bananas and betel leaves were cultivated in Royapettah. Arimuthu Mudaliar, a native of Mangadu, cultivated betel leaves and was well versed in martial arts. “Once he pressed a nerve in my hand and I felt uneasy. If he had pressed further, I would have lost my consciousness. Once, he challenged a thief armed with a knife and made him fall unconscious with his technique. Later, he woke up the thief by pressing a nerve on his leg,” Thiru. Vi. Ka. writes.
The festival of Moharam marked the demonstration of skills by wrestling schools. “There would be a display of Silambam in all its techniques. I would go from one place to another, day and night, to witness the game,” he says.
Every Sunday, the wrestling grounds will witness pigeon races, rooster fights, and partridge fights. “Animals would fight and shed blood. I requested Vadivel Mudaliar not to allow anything except pigeon races. He responded by saying that they would give courage to the men. But I did not agree with him and stayed home when the birds were used for fighting,” he writes.
Once, teased by a girl who addressed him as vastat, he tried to pick up coconut pieces on the day of Thiruvathirai. “When someone broke the coconut, it crushed my finger. I ran to Nallana Mudali Street to consult Pandit Ayothee Das, and he treated me with herbs. I was cured in two weeks,” he says.
