My childhood hero the world reknowned Japanese wrestler Anoki, is no more. He was a skilled wrestler who had the audacity to challenge Muhammad Ali, the then world’s heavy weight boxing champion, that ended in a draw and serious injuries to the legs of the legend that the wrestler targeted as strategy avoiding his heavy blow. One could feel Muhammad Ali’s desperation calling Anoki, a girl and woman poking him to stand up that the wily wrestler avoided.
The biggest lesson of my life that Anoki gave me personally, when he faced our over – confident Jara Phelawan from the Bolo clan of wrestlers, amid the usual grand fanfare in Lahore that was telecasted live on our black and white TV screens. As foolish as almost all Pakistanies are in their unfounded pride and over confidence, Jara Phelawan raised his both hands inviting Anoki to try his luck with his strength against his invincibility. Anoki seizing the opportunity sprang into the air locking his leg against his arm breaking it within a minute that brought the fight to abrupt end to the disappointment of the spectators. For me the greatest lesson was never to raise one’s arms showing one’s weakness to anyone in life, no matter how close, as it would be surely exploited to one’s disadvantage .
No amount of wealth, intelligence, physical strength, influence or power of this temporal world can help anyone evade the ultimate surrender to death that every human being have to face sooner or later. Anoki, later converted to Islam and was known as Muhammad Hussain. Rest in Peace, yet another legend becomes a history.
