मल्लपुराण (ज्येष्ठिमल्ल - प्राचीन भारतीय मल्लविद्या, अखाड़ा व्यायाम व कुश्ती महाग्रन्थ)

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carry out the order of the Emperor. But he died after uprooting the tree. At
this place, in the village Delmal, the temple of the Goddess Limbjā exists.
In Gujarat there is a strong evidence of the existence of the mallas and
their art upto the end of the 17th century but in the south the tradition con-
tinued in the 17th and the following centuries. In Gujarat the jeṭṭhīs used to
go as guards with marriage parties, and they were patronised by rulers in this
part.
But in early 19th century the Gaekwads began to give patronage to the
Jyeṣṭimallas; so in Baroda they were invited both from Delmāl and Hydera-
bad (Deccan). Those who came from Deccan have maintained the traditions
of Vajramuṣṭi wrestling upto this date, but the tradition is on the verge of
extinction, if proper steps are not taken to maintain the mallas, who have pre-
served it so far.
Vajramuṣṭi Wrestlers—their training and wrestling.
The Vajramuṣṭi wrestlers in Baroda were invited by Sayajirao I. His
officer Panchamsing Mohansing went to Kanakagiri and contacted Dharma
Jeṭhī at Surapur. According to the arrangements made they came to Baroda
and were looked after by Kanaka Jeṭhī.¹
The Vajramuṣṭi wrestling used to take place every year on Holi and
Daśerā and when asked by the king. This tradition continued for about a
century in Baroda. Now after the merger of the Baroda State, wrestlers are in
pitiable condition. They are leaving this profession and alongwith it a tradi-
tion of a number of centuries is dying out. Most of these wrestlers have taken
up different professions and the one of the traditional forms of wrestling and
physical culture is coming to an end. Here an effort is made to describe
some of the practices of the traditional mallas.
The training of boys start after they are ten or twelve years of age.
Prior to this, they are allowed to play according to their choice. The students
are taught free-hand exercises for muscular strength and developing stamina.
These exercises include a lot of leg work in the form of a variety of Baithakas,
running, jumping with a view to develop swiftness and strength. These are
used as warming up exercises also. Added to this leg work much arm work is
given in the form of Daṇḍas. Several varieties of these are also developed.
They not only help to develop the muscles of the arms but are so organised
as to develop the power of fingers, wrist, back, belly and side muscles.
There are special turning and twisting exercises to develop strength of
the waist and agility. These free hand exercises are devoted to condition the
physique for further heavier work.
¹ Māṇikrāo, ‘Baḍodyāṭīl Mallavidyā,’ p. 12.
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