GAMA-unbeaten world champion WRESTLER

There are a number of gossips and rumors about champion wrestlers especially "Gama pehalwan", May Allah rest his soul in peace, died probably in 1963 I thought but Wicki tells me he died 30 May 1960 just about a year and a half after I had seen him.

A true legend in wrestling, "Rustam-e-Zaman" world champion since 1907  or 1910,and remained unbeaten champion for up to forty years, if I remember. As he got older and lost the patronship of Maharaja Patiala or some other Maharaja, (moving to Lahore, Pakistan) did not have enough money to get proper treatment of his sickness and disabilities. Pakistan Government had not given him much recognition or help in this regard (Was granted two acres of land, I heard, but was physically unable to go to get 'possession'). Wicki wrongly say he was helped by Pak Government

Col. Ilahi Bukhsh marhoom, the renowned Physician of Pakistan wanted to help him and offered to treat him in the hospital. Although not to his liking he agreed to come into the Mayo Hospital. He was given extra room-bed for his personal 'malishia' (messager). He spent many months getting better before discharge from there in 1958-59.

I had the opportunity of getting his history (medical) which of course included dietary habbits.

He told me it is wrongly asserted that we wrestlers can eat a whole lamb or goat and drink twenty 'seers' of milk. He was however very kind to give me details of his diet. He said:(what I remember)

About a month or so before a bout (jore or dangal) we go on a "khurak" (diet). Diet and exercise are combined and there is a strict 24 hour schedule the wrestler must observe. First thing in the morning getting up at 4 am going to 'akhara' (arena) and "warming up" with 2000 (two thousand) "dand and baithak" the gymnastic type exercises (Wickipedia say about 5 thousand which may be inclusive of other times during the day ). That is followed by"kushti exercises" till 6 am when there is rest with some drinks. "Sardaiy" is a drink made with peeled and ground almonds (according to Wicki over one pound of almonds) in water probably added suger/honey for taste (Keep them in water overnight and then in the morning  grounded with water to mahe a dring  called sardai).
 In addition he told me 'laddu type' (ball) made of various herbs and "murabbah-jat" mixed along with some silver and gold leaves, must be swallowed. We wrestlers also know a bit of 'medicine', he said. He made some remarks to the effect that there was so much gold and silver in that 'food' that some servants would collect excreta dry it up for retreival of gold and silver. (May not be total exaggeration but I do remember something like that)

After that back to the arena, (AkhaRa) more wrestling exercise and then about 8 am rest and go to sleep for three hours. Waking up at 11 am "breakfast" time. Drinking"yakhni" (soup) made from about 3-4 sr. meat (about 6-8 pounds of lamb or mutton). He was adament that very little 'bread' is eaten (no carbohydrates) during that month because, as he explained, it is not good for the stamina (roti aur chawal say saans phoolti hay). Then liesurely exercise (zore) for a couple of hours in the 'akhara' then back to sleep at two pm. Getting up in the afternoon about 4-5 pm to eat meat, pure meat cooked to taste mostly mutton or lamb not more than 4-8 pounds and drink milk as much as 3-4 pounds He did not tell me about Chicken though Wicki say 4-5 chickens which is more expensive and probably eaten also but doubt that many chickens). After a bit of rest back to 'akhara' for "zore" (wrestling exercises). More soups and meat in the evening and stay away from rice and bread. Although he did not tell me but they are also known to drink "ghee' (Butter, fats) at some time during the morning. Of course there is use of generous amounts of that fat for cooking meats and soups. (fats and proteins only). The only muscle-building exercisers used were "mug-ders" (also called bugders) and perhaps 'gurz' (which I think is used more for show rather than for exercise). "Mugders" are club-like weights made of wood but in Punjab weights maid out of stone are common too. I learned from Wicki the use of hanslee  worn in the neck weighing about 90 KG for Dand-Baithak.

Ghulam Mohammad (Gamma) belongs to a famous family of wrestlers from Amritsar and are "Kashmiri" in origin. He himself did no had sons but had daughters only who were married to the sons of his younger brother(Imam Bakhsh Pehalwan, Rustam-e-Hind) who were then the champions of Pakistan 'Bholu' being the oldest. others were Aslam Akram  other names I forget
There were interesting things happened during his stay in the hospital

More to come insha-Allah, later