Goga Pahalwan

Goga Pahalwan
Born Amritsar, Punjab[1]
Professional wrestling career
Billed height 5’11”
Billed weight 220 lb (100 kg)
Trained by The Great Gama
Debut February 20, 1960 vs Haji Afzal of Lahore.
Retired February 6, 1981 Last match in Gujranwala City

Goga Pahalwan (real name Moazzam) was a world class Pakistani professional wrestler, born in the city of Amritsar in India in a household brimming with wrestling victories. He remained under the pupilage of Great Gama of India for 15 years. He displayed a blazing fighting style, with speedy reflexes seldom giving his opponents a chance to return. Favorite maneuvers were back flying kick, body slam and leg breaker etc. Goga was the youngest among his Bholu brothers who remained a professional wrestler during the later years. He mostly traveled around with Akram Pahalwan. Goga is better remembered because he continued wrestling during the later 1970s while his other brothers have retired from professional wrestling.

Career

Goga was a part of the Bholu Brothers group of professional wrestling composed of Bholu Hassu, Azam, Aslam, Akram, and Goga himself. Goga actually started his career in 1960 starting with the Indian tour and traveled with other Bholu Brothers to wrestle in some Major Indian cities. Before that he only indulged in amateur conflicts in Pakistan. After arrival in Kolhapur the Bholu Brothers issued challenge to the Indian Wrestlers. Gunpat Andarakar aka “Hind. Kesri’’, the reigning Indian Champion accepted their challenge and demanded a match with Aslam Pahalwan who was comparatively bigger and stronger than the other Bholu Brothers. However, Goga, who was looking for an opportunity to fight stepped forward and insisted on fighting the champ in place of his elder brother Aslam. The members of the Bholu’s management tried to stop him from fighting Andarakar because he had already beaten some of the big names in wrestling. Bholu favored his younger brother’s decision, keeping in view his ambition. The 1961, Goga Pahalwan versus Gunpat Andarakar feud begins in Kolhapur. This was a no time limit, no draw, must win type of contest that was to continue until one wrestler loses or submits. This was one of the most difficult feuds of Goga’s wrestling career because the opponent was much larger and stronger than him. The highly physical match commenced between these headstrong grapplers for 55 minutes. Ganpat Andarakar tried his best to overpower Goga by his size and strength but Goga managed to survive and wins the match. He receives a prize of Rupees ten thousand and a heavy traditional Indian wrestling trophy known as Gurz as a reward for his victory against Andarakar. The members of the Bholu’s management performed the traditional ritual of Dastar Bandi to celebrate the victory. During this wrestling tour Goga fell in love with an Indian lady and got married.

Goga also competed in different Freestyle wrestling events in Pakistan and abroad. He competed against some prominent wrestlers such as Kid Zimbo, Wanik Buckley, Boonta Singh, Siddique Nukehwala, Harbans Singh, Sohni, Jogindar Singh, Garnam Singh, Tarlok Singh etc. He also tackles the local champions such as Haji Afzal of Lahore, Siddique son of Goonga Pahalwan and Rashid Manila Champion.

Goga fought his childhood match in 1948 during a major wrestling tournament held in Multan where the former Indian Champion Hamida Pahalwan Rehmaniwala a.k.a. Abdul Hamid Rehmani was scheduled to fight Qadir Baksh in the main event of the day. While the Grand Wrestlers, Imam Baksh and Great Gama watched the tournament proceed. Customarily in India and Pakistan every main wrestling event is preceded by minor wrestling feuds between the less experienced junior wrestlers. A 17-year-old wrestler boy of another wrestling club entered the mud wrestling arena and waited for an opponent from the other side to show up. Imam Baksh directed his ten-year-old son Goga to go into the arena and fight this 17-year-old wrestler who looked like a Giant compared to Goga. Goga was too small to tackle this big wrestler and consequently lost the match and became upset. On public questioning about why did Imam Baksh made his little son Goga fight a bigger wrestler much older than he was. Imam Baksh replied that one must know the difference between victory and defeat and should know how to tackle them before he could actually become a winner in life. Consequently, Goga was very disappointed on losing a wrestling match in a family where defeat was uncommon. Therefore, Goga always wanted to beat wrestlers bigger in size. Bholu only acted as a backup for his brothers. Goga is remembered for defeating Haruka Eigen of Japan on 12 December 1976. During his later years he competed in bouts with some Freestyle Wrestlers Klondyke bill . He is the only member of the Bholu Brothers wrestling team who never gave up active wrestling in his lifetime. Goga was accidentally killed in Gujranwala City on 6th Feb 1981 by a flying drop kick delivered by Nasir Bholu during an exhibition bout.

In wrestling

See also

References

  1. ↑ There has been some misunderstanding in obtaining the date of births of the Bholu Brothers of Lahore during the past due at the Wayback Machine (archived October 27, 2009)
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