Bholu Brothers

The Bholu Brothers were Pakistani wrestlers of Kashmiri origin. They belonged to the Gama wrestling family that lasted for centuries before independence of Pakistan. This group included resident Pakistani champions such as Bholu, Azam, Aslam, Akram and Goga. These were the sons of Imam Bakhsh Pahalwan (Rustam-e-Hind). And nephews of Gama, the Greatest wrestler that India has ever produced. Wrestling was a way of life for them. Some of the main wrestling gyms were owned and operated by the Bholu Pahalwan family (formerly known as Gama Wrestling Family). Bholu and Aslam were considered equivalent to the world champions of the West.

Early Days

The Great Bholu's Gym known as Dar-ul-Sehat was located in a building in the City of Karachi. It was a muddy wrestling arena within a vast courtyard that was surrounded by wooden benches. Pakistan’s first Prime Minister, Liaquat Ali Khan allotted this building to this wrestling family to be used for training. It was once an akhara or traditional training hall where deshi kushti was practiced. The wrestling matches were called dangal, and were fought on a mud pit. The Government of Pakistan, till Ayub Khan’s regime, regularly provided a special grant to Bholu Pahalwan family as recognition for their services to the sport. Earlier, every city, town and village of the country had its own akhara. The continuous flow of talent kept the game alive. And the Bholu's legacy rose to the highest ranks in the world of wrestling .