The Sikh is a minority in India and the cradle of their religion is the rural state of Punjabi, near the country’s borders with Pakistan. The Sikhs arrived in Greece in the early 1990s and in 1996 their first community was established near Athens. In 2005, the largest headquarters in Greece was established in the city center of Athens. The factory building, where it is housed, is not only a place of worship but also a core of the Indian community in Greece, which according to the Ministry of the Interior, has about 15,000 members.
Most are industrial workers or farmers, so there are large communities in 5-6 regions across Greece. In recent years, the country is in crisis, so their living conditions have become more difficult. Some have returned to India. Many are trying to emigrate to Germany or Canada where there is the greatest community of Singh immigrants on Earth outside India.
In the series we see teams from all the communities of Indian Sikh immigrants fighting in the traditional Kabaddi sports near the village Oinofita, central Greece, 100km from Athens. Approximately 600-700 people were gathered from several communities in Greece. I found myself in the races through a student of mine who has migrated with his family. Probably I was the only Greek person at this gathering. At the end of the games many spectators and athletes ate dinner cooked by the women in the nearby warehouse, which also functions as a place of worship.
Kabaddi is a national sport in some states of India and Bangladesh. It’s a mix of struggle, speed, flexibility and tactics. It is unknown to the general public, organized by immigrants 3-4 times a year around Greece, keeping alive memories from their homeland. An indication of how they literally and metaphorically struggle to survive away from their homeland. It is a great honor for the community whose team will win the championship.
