How Genghis Khan's warriors invented the world's most brutal sport, Buzkashi

Many modern day sports have their roots in ancient history. Kings and commanders needed to keep their soldiers in battle fit condition at all times and so competitions in archery, javelin throwing, running, wrestling and horsemanship were organised. Back then rules were very few and all competitions carried an element of danger.

But over the centuries, more stringent rules were drawn up so that competitors could take part without fear of serious injury or loss of life. However the wildest and arguably the most violent of the old games was Buzkashi which is still played widely in Afghanistan and surrounding countries.

The game originated from the time when Genghis Khan’s Mongol hordes swept across the steppes of central Asia like an unstoppable juggernaut. During the 13th and 14th centuries CE the Mongol empire became the largest contiguous empire in history. The Mongol warriors, mounted on their sturdy ponies, were a fierce breed of men and their liking for sports competitions was no less than their love for battles.

The Mongols were excellent horsemen and often lived for days on the saddle. They dismounted only at night to sleep and remounted their horses at daybreak. Their passion for competitions involving horses and ponies was unmatched and they took great pride in their riding skills.

So it was but natural that a game like Buzkashi became popular. The game involved several horsemen who tried to grab the carcass of a goat or calf and carry it away from the rest of the players before throwing it down into a circle drawn on the earth. According to some reports, during the Mongol period, sometimes instead of an animal carcass, they used the beheaded body of any enemy soldier.

Injuries and deaths were common

Amid the melee of horses and riders, all pushing and pulling, if a participant fell from his mount, he could be crushed under the horses’ hooves. Such incidents were not unusual. Buzkashi was a simple but ferocious game where there were few rules governing the conduct of play. Whipping their horses as well as each other was not unusual. Violence on the field often led to violence outside it too.

Less violent now

However, now it is not as violent as it used to be during the height of the Mongol empire. In Afghanistan Buzkashi is the national sport. A Buzkashi player is called a Chapandaz. A skilful Chapandaz is usually in his forties. This is because the game requires its player to have great experience and training.

Most of the players come from different professions and across all ethnic groups. There are cab drivers, shopkeepers and construction workers who try to make some extra money by taking part in tournaments. To protect themselves they wear padded coats, thick turbans or helmets and big boots with wooden slats inside them to absorb the blows that they may take during the game.

Horses are trained too

The horses that are used in Buzkashi also undergo special training. They are usually big and strong and are owned by landlords and wealthy people who sponsor players for Buzkashi matches. The horse owners usually want the animal to be ridden by a master Chapandaz since a winning horse also brings pride to the owner.

Buzkashi has been written about and filmed on many occasions. It was the subject of a book called The Horsemen of Afghanistan by French photojournalists Roland and Sabrina Michaud. Italian human rights activist Gino Strada wrote a book named after the sport in which he describes his life as a surgeon in Kabul.

Shown in Bollywood films

The game is featured in many other publications, documentaries, and Bollywood films. The most prominent Bollywood films that have shown Buzkashi are Dharmatma (released in 1975) , produced and directed by Feroz Khan, and Khuda Gawah (released in 1992), starring Amitabh Bachchan and Sridevi. In both films, the scenes depicting the game were shot in Afghanistan.

A Hollywood film called The Horseman, released in 1971, also featured the game in its story. Egyptian actor Omar Sharif played the lead role, and his father was the famous bad-guy actor Jack Palance, who played the role of a retired legendary Chapandaz. Saeed Jaffrey also acted in this film. Nowadays, Afghanistan’s cricket team is doing wonders, but the appeal of the traditional sport of Buzkashi remains unmatched.

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