Play To Your Strength

 

 

I am very sure, most of you will have no idea of wrestling. How can one think of wrestling in the era of cricket where even smallest of the news can become a headline?

 

It was in mid-sixties, I was studying in class VI, in a typical village of western UP where wrestling used to be quite popular like Punjab, Haryana and Maharashtra. I was a keen watcher. Dangal used to be held in our village every Wednesday evening. One of our seniors in the school was a good wrestler. His name was Dharampal, he was in class X and he had a big fan following in village and school too. I was one of his ardent fans. Every Wednesday, Dharampal used to go to Dangal and we used to follow him, bunking the class. Dangal venue was about two Kms from the school. It used to be a race.

 

 

So, one fine Wednesday evening, we landed up in Dangal, in support of Dharampal. Dharampal was supposed to wrestle. The opponent was a good wrestler from nearby village. Dharampal was too smart for him. He pinned him down in no time but in the bargain his right knee was injured. No overt injury though.

 

Generally, one wrestler used to fight two bouts but Dharmpal used to fight one bout only because other wrestlers were generally reluctant to challenge him.

 

Today was different, as soon as he won, he was challenged by another wrestler of same village. Dharampal was reluctant to fight because his right knee was injured.

 

 

What to do. It was a question of prestige of village.

 

So, Gram Pradhan was summoned, his name was Tika Pehalwan. He himself has been a wrestler.

 

Tika Pehalwan was very clear, Dharampal has to fight because it is the question of village honour. Tika Pehalwan gave him a solution.

 

“Which knee is affected?”

 

“Right knee”

 

“Who all knows it”

 

“Only me, there is no overt injury, only some ligament pulling etc”

 

“Ok, put a cotton band on your left knee, your opponent will focus on left knee only so now you focus on your strength, your strength is your quick movement, focus on that and you will win.”

 

The bout was over in no time. Dharampal was winner.

 

Now, today after working for more than forty years in Army and Corporate, I still remember the lesson- Focus on your strength …. everyone has weakness …But weakness comes …….and exposed only when you forget your strength.

 

Very fair and apt indeed.

 

“All things are bright and beautiful”