Dasara Yuva Sambhrama launched; wrestlers paired

Even though the actual Dasara festivities would be launched atop the Chamundi Hill by poet K S Nissar Ahmed on September 21, a couple of events related to Dasara were launched here on Tuesday.

The pairing of wrestlers for the desi wrestling (Naada Kusti), organised by the Dasara Wrestling Sub-Committee at P Kalinga Rao Hall, on the Exhibition Grounds here received overwhelming response. Around 350 wrestlers from the city, Rammanahalli, Nanjangud, Srirangapatna, Ganjam, Bannur, Hunsur and surrounding places turned up for the pairing.

The Yuva Sambhrama, in which students from 145 colleges would stage various cultural programmes, was also inaugurated at the Open Air Theatre in Manasagangothri in the city. It will be held during evening hours till September 18.

In the absence of PWD and district in-charge Minister H C Mahadevappa, who was scheduled to inaugurate the Yuva Sambhrama, film actor Karunya Ram gave a start.

On the Exhibition Grounds, 150 pairs were decided amid commotion, due to an unprecedented rush, for the matches scheduled to be held from September 21 to 26. Senior wrestlers (pailwans) facilitated the pairing. The senior pailwans paired the wrestlers on the basis of their built and fitness. Some wrestlers had chosen their opponents. This was also allowed, if the other norms were found satisfactory. The wrestlers were found registering up to 5 pm.

The pairing was done on the basis of the information provided by the wrestlers in the application forms, about their age, weight and their respective gymnasium.

The matches will be held at D Devaraja Urs Multipurpose Stadium, abutting the Exhibition Grounds on the Doddakere Maidan.

The wrestling matches will be held under various categories such as state-level women’s wrestling, state-level men’s wrestling and under-17 and above 18 categories. National-level matches, which were held during the previous years, will not be held this year.

DH News Service