Lucknow:
“Geeta Phogat wala ‘ulta’ le le… Shabhash. Ab Sushil Kumar wala daanv le le… Olympic jeetega tu,” he says in a firm but encouraging voice. Only 24 years old, Daya Yadav, a muscular young man, is instructing his “students” in his akhara — a patch of soft mud in village Samogar, barely 20 km off the Agra-Lucknow Expressway in Agra district.
In this village and the neighbouring one, Etmadpur Madra, wrestling has not only been a sport for generations but also a tradition.
Daya says his grandfather and other elders were active wrestlers and even claims that Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav used to come here to wrestle with his friends in his heydays.
Over the years, however, wrestling took a backseat. Until, of course, Daya realized he had a passion for it.
“I now have a batch of about 30 students who practice here every morning. They have shown extreme dedication and spark. If we continue practise like this, I can assure an Olympic medal or two from this village,” he says proudly.
Daya has just got done with tending to his buffaloes and evening time is for his akhara and wrestling lessons.
Once that is wrapped up, he heads to a gym in Kheria — a bigger village with more city-like facilities and aspirations.
“Before the expressway came up, I would only go to the local gym we had set up here. Now, thanks to the ring road that was developed for the expressway link, I can go to Kheria in 15 minutes,” says the affable Daya, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Olympc mediallist wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt.
Several roads in the vicinity of the village have been concretised, thanks to the expressway, he adds.
Becoming a gym trainer has added to Daya’s fan following in the village but what triggered a crazy passion in the young men for wrestling was the movie ‘Sultan’.
“We watched it last year at Panna Palace theatre in Agra soon after it released. I took 20 boys with me. All of them are now actively practising wrestling under me.”
A few minutes of conversation and this shy teacher comes up with another revelation.
‘Sultan’ was the first movie any of us had ever seen. ‘Dangal’ this year was the second. The only reason we could watch it was the expressway road,” he beams.
On way to Lucknow from Agra, Etmadpur Madra would be the first village by the expressway. Before the ring road came up, going to Agra from their village could take 1.5 hours or more, if there was traffic. With the ring road, all it takes these men is 30 minutes.
Daya’s friend Umesh Yadav, whom Daya calls Bhaiya, says they are thankful that both films on wrestling came after the expressway was built.
Earlier, the only exposure and practice Day’s wrestling team got was in neighbouring villages. There were no new challenge and any major competition seemed a distant dream.
“Since the expressway has come up, we have been scores of times to Saifai, Etawah city and Lucknow for tournaments. Our boys have proved their mettle and know where they stand,” says Umesh as Daya tells his students that it’s time to practice a rope exercise now.
One of the youngest students in the team, 15-year-old Ravindra Yadav has just got a pat on the back from his teacher.
“Looking at Daya Bhaiya, initially we just wanted to build a body like his. After we saw Sultan, our aspirations grew. On participating in competitions in other cities, we realized that we could actually do well. The expressway right next to our village has taught us to think big. Now, I am sure that we can earn medals like Sushil Kumar,” says Ravindra.
Brajesh Kumar, another budding wrestler, has just returned from his carrot farm. Munching on a carrot, he offers some to his friends too.
“Films on wrestling earn more than wrestlers themselves. Sports is not given the attention it deserves. If we get proper training, I am sure we can represent India internationally, he says.
“We are not only practising physically but also paying attention to our diet and overall health. Daya Bhaiya tells us to eat dry fruits and have milk every day,” says 18-year-old Jeetu Yadav, as he advances to touch Daya’s feet before going home. The other students follow.
Every week, a band of boys goes to Agra and gets dry fruits for the team, zipping on the highway on their motorbike.
With the cinema hall coming closer to them because of the e-way, do the boys also plan to catch more movies?
“No way. Our elders allowed us to go for these films because they were related to ‘kushti’. We do not intend watching any other film,” says Umesh determinedly.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Lucknow News / by Rashi Lal, TNN / February 01st, 2017