Page 18 - EVS Class 05

sitting team has to chase and touch the members of the opponent team

following the rules.

Boat-Race (Vallamkali)

These races are famous in Kerala. People do
these races on Onam festival. About a
hundred oarsmen row the huge yet graceful
boats. Each boat hoists green and scarlet silk

umbrellas and their numbers denote the
affluence of the family to which the boat
belongs. These races are keenly contested
and reflect a high degree of sporting ability Vallamkali

and excellence.

Wrestling

Wrestling, also called Kushti , has a long
history in India. We get a glimpse of it in our
temple carvings and ancient paintings.
Ancient Hindu texts such as Mahabharata. In

ancient times, kings sometimes did not fight
battles. Instead, they sent their champion
wrestlers to engage in a match. The wrestler
who felled his rival was supposed to have

won victory for his king. Wrestling
Local Martial Arts

The martial arts require great discipline and practice. It is a form of mock
combat or a fight that is not for real. It has been developed into a form of
art or beauty by the people who practise it. It is a way of defending oneself

or others from attack. These involve self-defence, meditation and fitness.
Some popular martial arts of India are:

Thang-Ta

Thang-ta is the traditional martial art form of
Manipur. In Manipuri language, ‘thang’

means a sword and ‘ta’ is a spear.
Thang-ta, therefore, is a fight using a sword

and a spear against one or more opponents.
Thang-Ta

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