May 07 2009
Mangalore: Recalling lost glory in bodybuilding
MANGALORE May 6: Dakshina Kannada is one of the few districts in the State where bodybuilding and wrestling are still popular. Competitions in these events are held frequently in and around the city. Mangalore city boasts of 25 gyms, and a large number of youths exercise at home, aspiring to be identified as bodybuilders.
Secretary of Dakshina Kannada Bodybuilders Association Mahesh Kumar, however, feels that the interest in this sport is waning. “Bodybuilding is not easy. It calls for a lot of commitment and effort. Many people cannot afford to invest time in it,” he said and added that a professional bodybuilder had to spend about Rs. 5,000 a month.
The district boasts of national-level bodybuilders such as Reymond D’Souza, Wincent Carlo, Anil Kumar, and Roshan Ferrao. At present, bodybuilders such as Alwyn Paul, are in the news. Mr. Paul won a State-level championship.
Senior body builder M.S. Kumar said that “Taaleems” and “Vyayama Shales” (building and wrestling centres) were frequented by a large number of people in good old days.
Most of the people who came to these centres were from poor families, said Mr. Kumar.
Eighty-four-year-old bodybuilder and sword fighter of yesteryear Ustaad Haji B. Ibrahim said besides entertaining people, it was a source of livelihood for him. “People used to buy tickets and watch the shows,” he said.
“Those days Hindus and we, Muslims, lived like brothers. But now neither they invite us for bhoota-kola and Ganesha chaturti nor do we want to go, to avoid unnecessary problems, he said and added that his then teacher Sayyed Ahmed had advised his students not to use the knowledge for wrong purposes. The history of Dakshina Kannada Body Builders Association began in 1955, according to its founding member Mr. Kumar.
He had won the first competition conducted in Mangalore in 1953. Bodybuilding gained popularity when the Asian Games of 1951 was held in Delhi and Parimal Roy of Kolkotta won the bodybuilding competition. That victory, he said, gave a boost to many aspiring bodybuilders.
Source - mangalorean.com
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