Ext. Wrestling school. Dawn
LLOYD: The wrestling school is tucked away in a back street in the old part of the city . 00:00
Ram Dhan wakes boys
Ram Dhan is a traditional wrestling guru . Everyday at 4am he wakes up the youths who live and train here. The Guru believes that if you spare the rod, you spoil the wrestler. 00:12
Ram Dhan beats boys with stick RAM DHAN: Sometimes I have to hit them once, sometimes twice. Theyre useless, lazy. 00:30
Ram Dhan
We put in a lot of effort but todays kids do not want to work hard. I dont know why, theyre a weak lot. 00:42
Boys jogging and training
Music 00:47
LLOYD: Its tough love followed by a tough day. A jog through the streets is merely a warm up for a physical training routine closely supervised by their demanding, seventy year old Guru. 00:55
Music 01:09
Digging wrestling pit LLOYD: After sun-up, its back to school to prepare the wrestling pit for practice. 01:26
Ram Dhan chases boys with stick And heaven help those who move too slowly.RAM DHAN: Ill hurt your mother and sister! Youre a bastard Ill pummel you. 01:40
Music 01:50
RAM DHAN: Is there any discipline in this school? What will people say? Hey old man! Im asking you all! What is the discipline of the school? 01:58
Ram Dhan
LLOYD: When hed calmed down, Guru Ram told me there was method in that madness. 02:16
RAM DHAN: Without anger you cannot have control. They were being lazy, loitering around, and the work is gradually getting delayed. 02:21
Boys wrestle Music 02:30
LLOYD: His ways seem positively Medieval. But the Guru is a famous and respected former traditional wrestling champion. His word is law. 02:43
RAM DHAN: Dont waste time standing around, hold firm, be fast, cmon now. 02:53
LLOYD: Indians may be mad about cricket, but mud wrestling is a centuries old tradition in villages across the country. At wrestling schools like this one, willing pupils submit to a rigorous 7 day a week training schedule without question.
03:00
YOUNG WRESTLER: After technique, physical strength is the most important thing. 03:15
Young Wrestler The best thing about the Guru is that he keeps us like his own children. 03:20
Boys training Music 03:26
LLOYD: The Gurus children are expected to make big personal sacrifices. The boys arent allowed to eat meat, smoke, drink alcohol, go to the movies, or get married. Its short term pain for long term gain. 03:33
Wrestling
Music 03:48
LLOYD: The motivation isnt entirely spiritual. Many champion wrestlers are rewarded with a position in the civil service, and in India that mean a job for life. 03:56
Ram Dhan
RAM DHAN: We try to teach good thoughts. The child who learns pious thoughts will become strong. The one with shortcomings in character cant become a good wrestler he turns bad. I also teach the boys respect. Just to be strong is not enough. 04:14
Boys mixing paste/making bread
LLOYD: It may not be enough but it helps. And the secret, says the Guru, lies in healthy servings of vegetables, almond paste, milk and bread. 04:29
Jasbeer cooking bread
For young men like Jasbeer Vatsa, it is a school of wrestling and self sufficiency. 04:41
JASBEER: At the beginning, the Guru, told us that you have to do our own tasks. He can make us slog. I used to roll out misshapen breads that were not good. Then gradually with practice, it became good.LLOYD: Jasbeer is on surer ground in the wrestling pit. 04:48
Jasbeer wrestling
Hes only 20, but the school has been his home for eight years. Points are scored in much the same way as western wrestling by pinning knees, shoulders or legs to the ground. In competition, a bout can last for as much as three hours. The Guru has taught Jasbeer a few tricks. 05:03
JASBEER: Theres a technique called fish-dip in which you pull the opponent from his underwear. Thats fish-dip technique. We have to dive the way a fish dives in water. 05:29
Jasbeer wrestling
My Guru is very good and hes god-like to us. Hes the only one who can take us to great heights. 05:50
LLOYD: Reaching those heights requires obedience and dedication. The students believe it not only makes them good wrestlers, but great men. 06:04
Jasbeer
JASBEER: I want to make my country proud abroad and win a gold medal and bring fame to my Guru, my parents, my village and to make my country proud. 06:13
Music 06:26
LLOYD: The wrestling school is tucked away in a back street in the old part of the city . 00:00
Ram Dhan wakes boys
Ram Dhan is a traditional wrestling guru . Everyday at 4am he wakes up the youths who live and train here. The Guru believes that if you spare the rod, you spoil the wrestler. 00:12
Ram Dhan beats boys with stick RAM DHAN: Sometimes I have to hit them once, sometimes twice. Theyre useless, lazy. 00:30
Ram Dhan
We put in a lot of effort but todays kids do not want to work hard. I dont know why, theyre a weak lot. 00:42
Boys jogging and training
Music 00:47
LLOYD: Its tough love followed by a tough day. A jog through the streets is merely a warm up for a physical training routine closely supervised by their demanding, seventy year old Guru. 00:55
Music 01:09
Digging wrestling pit LLOYD: After sun-up, its back to school to prepare the wrestling pit for practice. 01:26
Ram Dhan chases boys with stick And heaven help those who move too slowly.RAM DHAN: Ill hurt your mother and sister! Youre a bastard Ill pummel you. 01:40
Music 01:50
RAM DHAN: Is there any discipline in this school? What will people say? Hey old man! Im asking you all! What is the discipline of the school? 01:58
Ram Dhan
LLOYD: When hed calmed down, Guru Ram told me there was method in that madness. 02:16
RAM DHAN: Without anger you cannot have control. They were being lazy, loitering around, and the work is gradually getting delayed. 02:21
Boys wrestle Music 02:30
LLOYD: His ways seem positively Medieval. But the Guru is a famous and respected former traditional wrestling champion. His word is law. 02:43
RAM DHAN: Dont waste time standing around, hold firm, be fast, cmon now. 02:53
LLOYD: Indians may be mad about cricket, but mud wrestling is a centuries old tradition in villages across the country. At wrestling schools like this one, willing pupils submit to a rigorous 7 day a week training schedule without question.
03:00
YOUNG WRESTLER: After technique, physical strength is the most important thing. 03:15
Young Wrestler The best thing about the Guru is that he keeps us like his own children. 03:20
Boys training Music 03:26
LLOYD: The Gurus children are expected to make big personal sacrifices. The boys arent allowed to eat meat, smoke, drink alcohol, go to the movies, or get married. Its short term pain for long term gain. 03:33
Wrestling
Music 03:48
LLOYD: The motivation isnt entirely spiritual. Many champion wrestlers are rewarded with a position in the civil service, and in India that mean a job for life. 03:56
Ram Dhan
RAM DHAN: We try to teach good thoughts. The child who learns pious thoughts will become strong. The one with shortcomings in character cant become a good wrestler he turns bad. I also teach the boys respect. Just to be strong is not enough. 04:14
Boys mixing paste/making bread
LLOYD: It may not be enough but it helps. And the secret, says the Guru, lies in healthy servings of vegetables, almond paste, milk and bread. 04:29
Jasbeer cooking bread
For young men like Jasbeer Vatsa, it is a school of wrestling and self sufficiency. 04:41
JASBEER: At the beginning, the Guru, told us that you have to do our own tasks. He can make us slog. I used to roll out misshapen breads that were not good. Then gradually with practice, it became good.LLOYD: Jasbeer is on surer ground in the wrestling pit. 04:48
Jasbeer wrestling
Hes only 20, but the school has been his home for eight years. Points are scored in much the same way as western wrestling by pinning knees, shoulders or legs to the ground. In competition, a bout can last for as much as three hours. The Guru has taught Jasbeer a few tricks. 05:03
JASBEER: Theres a technique called fish-dip in which you pull the opponent from his underwear. Thats fish-dip technique. We have to dive the way a fish dives in water. 05:29
Jasbeer wrestling
My Guru is very good and hes god-like to us. Hes the only one who can take us to great heights. 05:50
LLOYD: Reaching those heights requires obedience and dedication. The students believe it not only makes them good wrestlers, but great men. 06:04
Jasbeer
JASBEER: I want to make my country proud abroad and win a gold medal and bring fame to my Guru, my parents, my village and to make my country proud. 06:13
Music 06:26