Indian Tribal News Service
Guwahati/New Delhi
Nagas love to be physically fit. And Naga wrestling is one of the oldest traditional and The Indian Tribal Sports in Nagaland played to encourage fitness, health, competitiveness and fair play. In fact, the Nagaland Wrestling Association celebrated its Golden Jubilee in 2020. Indicating the State’s organized handling of the sport for long.
As the Nagas’ passion for grappling increased, villages have gone on to host wrestling tournaments drawing crowds in thousands and making it a mega event.
Some 50 km from Kohima, Thipüzu Village in Phek district, will be one of them this time around. But with no sporting facility on hand, the villagers took it upon themselves to construct a temporary indoor stadium all by themselves.
It is learned that the 210×210 feet stadium has used about 1,800 meters of greenhouse nets for rooftop. And about 100 kg tarpaulin to construct the walls of the stadium that can house around 5000 spectators.
Overall, the structure was set up in about 20-22 days. While 250 villagers carried construction materials to the construction site for about four days, around 30 villagers took about a fortnight to build the stadium. And all this without a blueprint.
The tournament management committee has plans beyond the tournament. The villagers will be hosting a religious congregation for 24 villages at the same stadium. And then dismantle the entire structure for The Indian Tribal Sports in Nagaland.
Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has last month announced that the state government was contemplating constructing a 20,000 seating capacity Indoor Stadium at Tsiesema in Kohima district. Rio said this will facilitate a huge crowd puller sports event like Naga wrestling. Which is gaining popularity in the state.
