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 (PKL) 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.

Beach kabaddi
Beach kabaddi is played in two 15-minute halves by two teams of four players who are not allowed to wear shoes. It is played at an international level in competitions such as the Asian Beach Games.

Ghoda kabaddi
Ghoda kabaddi is a variation of kabaddi in which one player on the offensive team (the ghoda or "horse") 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 (called the budhiya or "old lady") 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 (the singer) 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 (generally made of a soft material like cloth or paper). 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.