Explore History of Everyday Life through History of Mallakhabh
A few years back NCERT introduced a section ‘Everyday life,
Culture and Politics’ under history in social science textbooks. Content in
this section is focused to introduce the history of everyday life.
History is not just about dynasties and dramatic political
events in the world. It has a close association with everything around us and
everything associated with us. Our food, clothing, music, instruments, tools,
art & artefacts, stories, songs, language, etc have their own story. As
cultures are dynamic and change over time, cultural aspects are a great source
to explore the history around us.
Cultural history is nothing but the history of the action and habits of
mankind.
To introduce History of Everyday Life, NECRT textbooks discuss
the history of sports and the history of clothing.
Sports have always served a purpose in human society. People
value sports as sports give us glimpses of what values a society possesses.
Exploring the history of sports can help us to learn about the nature of sports
through the ages and the social changes around us.
The textbook refers to the study ‘History of Cricket’. For
years I was in search of a book which can help social science teacher to
introduce the history of any Bharatiya Game.
Last week I came across a recently published book ‘The legendary originator of Mallakhamb: Balambhatt’ by Manisha Bathe.
Along with English edition Hindi version of book titled ‘मल्लखंब खेल के जनक: बाळंभट, जीवनी, कार्य एवं मल्लखंभ परंपरा का इतिहास’.
A few years back the book
was first published in Marathi as ‘एक होता बाळंभट’.
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WHAT IS MALLAKHAMB? Mallakhamb is an Indian sport, which was invented by
Vedmurti Balambhatt Deodhar between 1785-1805, during the fall years of Peshwa rule in
Maharashtra. The name Mallakhamb was coined by Balambhatt using the Marathi
Language words 'Malla' (Wrestler) and 'khamb' (pole). It means a wooden
(Sheesham - Indian rosewood) pole shaped like a man, which is treated as an
opponent by the wrestler, who practises various wrestling tactics on the
pole. Mallakhamb was conceived by Balambhatt as a method of
practising wrestling without involving an opponent, by treating the human
shape wooden pole which is fixed on the ground as one's mighty opponent. |
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Who was
Balambhatt? BALAMBHATT- The Expression of Human Enterprise! Balambhatt's life is not merely a story of a person who lived two centuries ago. His saga personifies the struggle and daring defiance of societal norms prevalent at that time. Set in 1805, Balambhatt's narrative transcends the barriers of the castes and religions and highlights the pursuit of his chosen trinity self-study, self-belief and self-endeavor, to espouse the cause of creating a new sports discipline. Balambhatt, a loyal associate of the Maratha Government and Peshwa Dynasty, did not rest at achieving exemplary personal achievement. He set upon himself the Herculean task of rebuilding a robust and physically fit force of Maharashtrian youth, which was greatly depleted by the ill-fated battle of Panipat fought in 1761. He attracted youngsters and inspired them to learn wrestling with his improvised technique which involved practising wrestling, without an opponent, using a wooden human dummy, which he had named Mallakhamb. He travelled across the length and breadth of India, introduced the Mallakhamb technique at wrestling akhadas in six states, and gave birth to the new bodybuilding sport form named Mallakhamb. |
Apart from the biography of Balambhatt, to unveil history there are many sources in the book in form of illustrations, documents, and photographs which can be used as source material to analyze and extract history.
How this book can help Social Science teachers:
To introduce aspects history of everyday life we can ask students to
study the history of the Bharatiya game ‘History of Mallakhabh’
1.
Write a biography / pictorial biography of Balambhatt.
2. Draw a timeline and Prepare a map marking places visited by Balambhatt to introduce Mallakhambh across India.
3.
Comment upon how Balambhatt
transcended Mallakhambh across casts and religions.
4.
Draw tree diagrams to illustrate the
history of the tradition of Mallakhambh.
5.
Find and Examine different pieces of
evidence given in the book to study the relationship between sports and
international politics.
6.
Identify and examine different pieces
of evidence given in the books to study sports and the Indian freedom
struggle.
7.
Study photographs illustrated in the
book to study the change like Mallakhambh as a sport.
8.
Find shreds of evidences given in the
book which can be mentioned to give recognition to Mallabhambh as a
sport.
9.
Identify and study evidences given in
the book to explore the History of Mallakhambh and the Olympics
10. Make a list of eminent personalities and important institutions associated with Mallakhambh.
Teachers can add to the list to help students to learn the history of Bharatiya sports to explore India.
To add this book to your cart
Distribution:
Samarth Media Center
522, Narayan Peth, Modi Ganpati Chowk,
Subhadra Co-op. Hsg. Soc., first floor, Pune 41103
Contact No. 020-24493933
• Price:
In India INR 600.00
(50%
discount in India exclusively for players)
For Online Booking :
1. Hindi Edition : मल्लखंब खेल के जनक: बाळंभट, जीवनी, कार्य एवं मल्लखंभ परंपरा का इतिहास
https://www.bookganga.com/R/8K5OO
2. English Edition : The legendary originator of Mallakhamb: Balambhatt
https://www.bookganga.com/R/82BV4
3. Marathi Edition : एक होता बाळंभट
https://www.bookganga.com/R/82BSC
Really very good book as reference, study material & also interesting information.
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