The Revival of Ancient Indian Sports: The Modern-Day Resurgence of Kabbadi, Kho-Kho, and Mallakhamb

Walk into any sports store and you’ll find cricket gear lined up like trophies, sleek bats, padded gloves, and more. But for kabaddi players like Ravi Kumar, even finding the right shoes or traditional oil means asking around the village. Kho-Kho has slipped off the mainstream radar, and Mallakhamb, with all its breathtaking complexity, survives quietly in a few dedicated corners.

Still, across schoolyards and regional tournaments, these homegrown games are stirring back to life. Their return isn’t just a revival, it’s a challenge to the sporting hierarchy, a reminder that India’s oldest games still have new stories to tell.

From Earth to Arena

Pro Kabaddi, Kho-Kho, and Mallakhamb have been reflections of India’s deep-rooted physical culture. Kabaddi, often regarded as a sport of breath, grit, and balance, is believed to have existed for thousands of years, with references to similar practices found in ancient Indian texts, such as the Mahabharata. Originally used to train warriors in agility and endurance, the sport has evolved into a televised spectacle, with the Pro Kabaddi League reportedly drawing an audience of over 400 million viewers in some seasons.

Kho-Kho, known for its speed and strategic movement, began as a rustic game in Maharashtra. Thought to have evolved from ancient forms of chase and evasion, it was formalised in the mid-20th century and has since been embraced in schools across the country for building coordination and quick thinking.

Mallakhamb stands apart with its unique blend of yoga, balance, and raw strength. Athletes perform acrobatic movements on a vertical pole or hanging rope, each pose demanding control, rhythm, and precision. While the first known mentions of Mallakhamb can be traced back to 12th-century India, it took on a structured form during the Maratha reign, particularly under the Peshwas in the 1800s. Recognised as a competitive sport in 1958, it has slowly begun to gain international attention through global showcases, though it still battles for space and support in the mainstream sporting ecosystem.

How Myths, Mindsets, and Modernity Pushed These Games to the Sidelines

Despite being steeped in history, traditional Indian sports like Kabaddi, Kho-Kho, and Mallakhamb began to vanish quietly as cricket rose to dominate playgrounds and screens alike. With little media focus and limited access to quality equipment, many young athletes were forced to look the other way. “We don’t have fancy stores or proper gear like cricket players do,” said Ravi Kumar, underscoring how the lack of basic infrastructure keeps these sports struggling in the shadows.

For players like Jacob, the problem begins at the grassroots: “Unless schools change their attitude, there’s no chance of these games surviving. It’s not just about money, it’s about how we value them.”

Gender barriers add another layer to this decline. In many rural areas, girls are told these sports aren't ‘decent’ or feminine enough. “Girls don’t play here because wearing shorts isn’t allowed in our village,” Kumar shared. 

Meena Kumari faced harsher judgment: “People said kabaddi players can’t give birth, and my parents believed that.” With few women coaches and almost no tailored diets or training spaces, the hurdles are steep. As Jacob put it bluntly, “These games aren’t glamorous or profitable, so no one takes them seriously.” What’s being lost isn’t just sport; it’s a legacy slowly eroded by misinformation, misplaced priorities, and societal pressure.

Game Face On: How Women Are Battling More Than Just Opponents

For women in indigenous sports, the biggest hurdle isn’t always the opponent; it’s what lies outside the field. Social norms, family resistance, and stubborn myths have long kept girls from stepping onto the mat or into the arena. Contact sports like Kabaddi and Mallakhamb demand grit and physicality, but for many women, simply wanting to play is already an act of rebellion.

In countless villages, wearing shorts is still frowned upon, and athletic ambition is often seen as a threat to femininity.

"Some people in my area believed that playing kabaddi would make me unfit to have children,” recalled Meena Kumari, who had to fight both stigma and family resistance to follow her passion. Despite these odds, the tide is shifting, albeit slowly and surely.

Anita Dongre, a lifelong fan of indigenous sports, pointed out, “There’s a myth that kabaddi is just for men, but women love it, and they play it well.” She credits media visibility for opening doors, but stresses that visibility alone isn’t enough. “We still need better coaching, diets, and emotional support systems, especially for women in different life stages.” Every woman who breaks through does more than win a match; she chips away at a system that long kept her out.

Reclaiming the Roots, Redefining the Future

As India advances with modern sports and global leagues, its indigenous games —Kabaddi, Kho-Kho, and Mallakhamb —are making a quiet but powerful comeback. Rooted in centuries-old traditions, flashy, commercialised games and outdated societal beliefs once sidelined these sports. 

Whether it’s Ravi Kumar sticking to his ancestral oil or Jacob recalling the ritualistic respect his school gave to Kho-Kho gear, it’s clear these games carry emotional weight far beyond physical performance.

But revival comes with responsibility. For these sports to sustain themselves, there needs to be more than just momentary hype; there must be structural support, gender-sensitive training spaces, and a dismantling of myths that limit who gets to participate. 

The voices in this story —Anita, Meena, Jacob, and Ravi —all reflect a deep yearning to not just preserve, but also evolve these practices. This resurgence is not just about reviving old games; it is about building new legacies that are inclusive, proud, and unmistakably Indian.