INDIAN WRESTLERS IN AUSTRALIA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXX, Issue 8557, 10 August 1888, Page 6

INDIAN WRESTLERS IN AUSTRALIA.

(Melbourne Sportsman .) s On July 8, the British-India mail steamer, Bancoora arrived in Melbourne. Among her passengers were Sochate Sing and Yodabus Sing, two Sikhs who have come but partly on business and partly to visit some relatives.* The first-named has served in the 'Sikh Artillery in Hong Kong, and bears on the arm of his tunic the crossed rifles, the badge of the crack marksman of his brigade. In addition, both are catch-as-eatch-can wrestlers, Sochate Sing indeed being a pupil of Eirkut, the champion wrestler of India. To Mr Gilbert Smith, the well-known interpreter, we are indebted for a short interview.

In reply to questions, Sochate Sing tells that wrestling is very common in India, particularly among the Sikhs. They are trained to athletic exercises from the time they are five years of age. The Sikhs are essentially a warlike race, depending mainly for their living on soldiering, though a large number are farmers. But even the latter go through an athletic training. Sochate Sing had his first wrestling - match when he was nine years old, in the Punjaub. They met in friendly rivalry with no “ stake and no gate money.” He was afterwards engaged in numerous tournaments. On every great holiday purses are subscribed for by the public, for which the wrestlers assemble from all parts. The purses vary in amount from five rupees to a thousand, the latter sum being often given when a wealthy prince or nabob chances to visit the fair. He has seen oyer a hundred wrestlers engaged at one time in these tournaments. These are divided into various grades or classes. But the entry is an open one, the competitors having no fear of a‘ f dark horse.” The most magnificent tournament he ever saw was when the Guiccowar of Baroda visited the Punjaub in 1880. The Rajah is himself a great patron of the sport. He brought down with him twenty wrestlers, whom he had in his own payi It was in this tournament that Praiin Sing, “Son of the Elephant,” gained the championship of India. Praim Sing is fully seven feet high and of tremendous proportions. To illustrate his build, one of the visitors turned to Donald Dinnie who happened to be in The Sportsman office at the time. First he placed his hands a foot above Donald’s head to denote the height of “ The Son of the Elephant," and in the same manner went on to show that he was “two spans” broader, winding up with a remark through Mr Smith, that he was of such immense size, and that there was a legend in India, that he was really very closely related to the elephant family. At the tournament in the Punjaub, the Guiccowar gave splendid prizes. Among these were two solid gold armlets, and .£IOO, in cash. Praim Sing swept the board, defeating all comers. Finding they could not compete with him single-handed, five of the wrestlers were let loose at him at one time. But this twenty-six-year old giant threw them over one after the other like ninepins. All over India the sport is a favourite one, the native Princes fostering it in every way. In addition each Prince has a large square set apart for wrestling. In the centre of this is a platform, on which the Prince and his suite ait to watch the bout, the spectacle being ofttimes a brilliant one.

At all athletic exercises, too, they are good, such as singlesticks, club-swinging, heavy-weight lifting. Out of fifteen who came by the Bancoora, there is not one who is not an athlete. Some of them are, of course, old men, but even they display as much active interest in the game as ever.

On Saturday arrangements were made for a private exhibition of their powers. Sam Mathews was communicated with, and on his arrival a space was cleared in The Sportsman office. Vodabus Sing, a young fellow about eighteen years old, \ was the first to have a try. Matthews and he stripped to the buff in orthodox style, and when it was all over Mathews was queried as to his opponent’s capabilities. Said he“ They’re the best natural catch-as-catch-can wrestlers I have come across. Of course we don’t know whether he has all our points—half Nelson, hug's, and all that kind of thing. But even without them he’d be a difficult fellow to throw. Did you notice how he spread his arms out at the start? It puzzles a fellow a bit to know what they’re up to, and a man’s liable to go down before he knows it, particularly as with them a fall is gained when one shoulder is down,”

Sodiate Sing has issued a challenge offering to wrestle any man in Australia for £25, which has been taken up by Mathews.