By Brij Khandelwal, IANS
Agra : Indian superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s six-pack abs may be sending all and sundry to the gym, but it is driving the nails into the coffin of traditional wrestling schools known as ‘akharas’ in this city.
Agra once had scores of ‘akharas’ or wrestling schools along the Yamuna river and in its dozens of bagichas (orchards). Now only a handful remains and the number of patrons has declined.
“Where akharas once were the pride of the neighbourhood, today we have modern gyms where machines roar. There is music and fun in the air, but no regimentation,” says Nasir Husain, an old timer.
The ‘ustads’ and ‘khalifas’, or instructors, of Agra’s akharas where hundreds of youths would come daily to tone up their body muscles and practise ‘pahelwani’ – the traditional art of wrestling – are sore over the loss of interest.
“Our chelas (students) have shifted loyalty and become clients of mechanised gyms which have mushroomed all over the city,” laments Mahesh Sharma, a wrestling instructor.
The traditional wrestling rings are disappearing and with them a whole culture of relationships and discipline.
According to the ustads, ‘dangals’ or wrestling matches are the best way to tone up the muscles. The tradition dates back to the Vedic times and finds mention in the Mahabharata.
But they say that gyms are attracting the youth and killing traditional pehelwani. Agra today has over 40 gyms with fancy names like Body Temple and Adonis.
The traditional turf holders are bitter for other reasons too.
“The boys often end up taking steroids and patronising pills, which do them more harm than good in the long run. This is a generation in a hurry and they are ready to do whatever it takes to have a toned body like Salman Khan or Hrithik Roshan,” says Sharma.
The rigorous schedule of training, the regimented culture of the akharas and the smell of the oil and ‘pili mitti’ (soil) don’t find favour with youth.
Pandit Ashwini of Rawat Para, a long-time akhara enthusiast, says a lot of attention was earlier paid to diet. “Youngsters used to gorge on dry fruits, butter and milk to tone up their bodies, but now they survive on fast foods,” he says.
Says old timer Hari Mohan Goswami of Yamuna Kinara: “They would rather rush to the nearest gyms in their trendy track suits and branded boots, where they would not be required to take off their clothes and rub oil and mitti on their bodies as one has to do in an akhara.
“Today’s kids do not want to be seen in ‘langots’ (loin cloth),” he adds.
The gyms charge between Rs.100 and Rs.1,000, depending on the location and the services provided. But such high prices at gyms – the akharas charge no fee – don’t dissuade youngsters.
“People from all age groups, even women, work out in gyms,” says Radhey Lal Varun, who owns three gyms in the city and was earlier an akharebaj in Sunder Para.