“ >Earthy hero who triumphed on screen and off ” (July 13) was the apt headline for the obituary on India’s, even world’s, greatest pehlwan Dara Singh. As for films and television serials, it was as if he was born to don the role of Hanuman. In Ramayan , he did that with childlike élan that made him the toast of India, particularly children.
I grew up hearing about Dara Singh’s heroics from my father. In Kannur, there were five famous wrestling clubs with mud akhadas and dedicated coaches who followed Dara Singh’s strict regimen. They churned out hundreds of youths who won championships at the university, State and national level.
V. Devadas,
Kannur
As a student, I remember seeing Dara Singh on his regular visit to the Mysore palace grounds ( dodda kere ) during the Dussera festival, along with King Kong. They used to wrestle in the presence of Sri Jayachamaraja Wodayar. They were our heroes.
Even though the fights were believed to be fixed, they used to be entertaining. Whenever I think of Dara Singh, it is Mysore and Hanuman.
V. Ramaprasad
Tiruchi
In the early 1950s, a series of wrestling matches featuring stars from all over the world was staged in the YMCA grounds. That was probably the first public appearance of Dara Singh in Madras with King Kong, Wong Buck Lee, Ali Reza Bey and Baron Von Heckzy.
We gazed in awe at Dara Singh’s famed ‘helicopter’ swing at King Kong, and were treated to the occasional attacks by wrestlers on the referee and the realistically fake punches with bare arms. The best part was we could watch all this action free from the terrace of our house.
K. Balakesari,
Chennai
During the wrestling season, all except King Kong took time to visit our school, Sri Ramakrishna High School, in Chennai. A few of us were permitted to meet them. I distinctly remember Dara Singh’s conversation in Tamil when he exhorted us to refrain from telling lies, drinking and gambling. We were impressed with his simple approach to students.
S. Murugesan,
Chennai
In the late 1950s, some of us, school students in our teens, travelled to Madurai on cycle — a distance of 70 miles from our hometown — to witness one of Dara’s momentous fights at Thamukkam grounds. Such was our enthusiasm and admiration for the desi hero!
S. Gopinath,
Chennai
