They're dressed in nothing but shorts as they duke it out on a pile of dirt. They get bruises, cuts and even bone fractures as 10 teams from Sikh temples throughout California and beyond compete in a way that most Americans wouldn't dream of.
What has kabaddi got to do with the Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) elections, popularly known as the mini parliament of Sikhs?
Wrestling matches are quite different at Sikh temples than they are at, say public high schools. Sunday's matches weren't in a gymnasium. They were on a dirt field east of the temple in Lodi.
Yet in keeping with the sport’s international appeal, Sunday’s competitors also included a London team of white blond women and an Australian crew with two African-American men from California, one of whom described himself as a mercenary of sorts.
Kabaddi
"It is unfortunate that traditional games like kabaddi, wrestling, hockey and football are neglected, and far too much prominence is given to cricket and tennis. We have decided to encourage traditional games...
Gurdwara Sahib Sukh Sagar, New Westminster, BC announces $10,000 Kabaddi Cup for 2009
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