Mallapurana: A Rare Sanskrit Text on Indian Wrestling especially as practised by the Jyesthimallas by Bhogilal Jayachandbhai; Mehta Sandesara
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Available online – Internet Archive

The Mallapurana is a several hundred-year-old Sanskrit manual on wrestling as practiced in India, specifically by the Jyesthimalla caste. In 1964 two scholars from the University of Baroda released an edition that included a summary and detailed elaboration for an English-language readership, written to be understood by a reader without a background in the Indian wrestling tradition. (The text does include the original Sanskrit text for those who can read it, but I can’t comment on it.)

The manual is not just a discussion of wrestling techniques. In fact, a good portion of the manual covers issues like diet, training, the rites and logistical details of wrestling matches, characteristics of wrestlers, and strategies of matches. The authors include discussions of training methods and other details. The material is presented for a scholarly audience. While the readability is not challenging, it is arranged in a way that may feel tedious for the general readership. There are occasional descriptions that may leave a general reader befuddled.

I found reading this manual to be informative. It turned me on to many ideas with which I was unfamiliar. I’d highly recommend it for those interested in wrestling, martial sports, or the evolution of fitness practices.

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