Variations of kabaddi
Kabaddi is a contact sport of South Asian origin which has many variations.
History
Traditional kabaddi was played differently from modern kabaddi, in part because of the launch of the Pro Kabaddi League in 2014 which added and changed certain rules. For example, some styles of modern kabaddi feature a 30-second time limit on each raid, whereas traditional kabaddi had no time limits, with raiders instead having been required to complete the raid on one breath, chanting "kabaddi" repeatedly to prove to the referee that they were not inhaling.
Variants of standard kabaddi
Organisational variations
The International Kabaddi Federation and World Kabaddi are two major international kabaddi organisations that have slightly different rules for kabaddi. IKF kabaddi matches have two halves, while WK are played in four quarters.
Beach kabaddi
Beach kabaddi is played in two 15-minute halves by two teams of four players who are not allowed to wear shoes. The field is smaller, and there are no bonus lines, baulk lines, or lobby area. Every raid is a do-or-die raid.
It is played at an international level in competitions such as the Asian Beach Games.
Indoor kabaddi is played in two 15-minute halves by two teams of five players and is a shorter variant of standard style kabaddi. It is played at an international level in competitions such as the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games.
Other variants
Ghoda kabaddi
Ghoda kabaddi is a variation of kabaddi in which one player on the offensive team sits in a small circle deep within the defensive team's half of the field. Once touched by the raider, the horse can leave the circle and must then return to his team.
Budhiya kabaddi
Budhiya kabaddi originates from the Magadha region of India. It is played with two teams of four or more players. The scoring team has a player who starts off positioned at the opposite end of the field from the "home" area. The old lady's goal is to reach home without being touched by any of the opponents.
Whip kabaddi
In whip kabaddi, one player stands in one half of the court, while all other players stand on the other side of the court and each hold a whip-like object. The singer's job is to sing while trying to tag opponents; once the singer has tagged an opponent, they must flee the field and try to avoid being whipped.
Zum-zum
There are two players on each team in this traditional game of Myanmar. The defenders can not tackle the raider in this variant; they can only attempt to tag the raider before the raider escapes. If the raider escapes without executing or receiving a tag, then the game continues with the other side raiding.