After thrilling spectators across the country, kabaddi returns to its modern day home - Pune

Puneri Paltan will host the final leg of Pro Kabaddi

The Pro Kabaddi League has been a revelation and has changed the very fabric of the sport in the country. Kabaddi has found its way into the hearts of the millions of Indians who now follow the sport with the same vigor as one would follow cricket.

Drifting across eight venues, the Pro Kabaddi League has seen packed house after packed house and is expecting another one in Pune, a heartbeat of a state which has formulated the very base of the modern day kabaddi.

Kabaddi’s existence can be traced back to the times of the Mahabharata, when the game came into being, drawing inspiration from Abhimanyu and the Chakravyuh which the Kauravas trapped him in. It’s believed the concept of the raider goes a long way in explaining the situation of Abhimanyu who was surrounded by enemies from all the sides, while the line of defense represents the Chakravyuh.

The mentions of kabaddi were also found in the writings of Sant Tukaram, the great saint of Maharashtra, proving the game’s presence in the state from over four hundred years ago. The sport of kabaddi had various sets of variations and changed names with different states.

But, the first framework of kabaddi as a national level sport was provided to the country by the state of Maharashtra which came into effect back in 1923. So the state of Maharashtra is the pioneer of modern day kabaddi.

Probably paying due respect to the fact, the Pro Kabaddi caravan started off in Maharashtra and also end in the kabaddi-loving state.

Maharashtra also has eight Arjuna award winning Kabaddi players which include the current Head coach of the Puneri Paltan, Ashok Shinde.

People from all over Maharashtra have been pouring into Pune to witness the newly-found kabaddi sensation, the Pro Kabaddi League. With the semi-finals spots up for grab, kabaddi’s homecoming to Maharashtra is got to be a special one.