Gymnasium replaces Akhada in Cuttack

Notwithstanding the popularity of cricket among youths, some of us are still huge supporter of the traditional sports events like wrestling, weightlifting and boxing and these sportsperson are key to bringing glory for the country in Olympics. However, many traditional sporting places known as Akhadas, those produced many popular sports personalities in past were lost their eminence due to lack of interest among the new generation youths and the government as well.

The millennium city Cuttack in Odisha, which has earned a name in international sports arena, however left those early days sporting Akhadas in neglect and as a result many Akhada are shut down their centers.

Ironically, due to lack of governmental incentives one of the oldest Akhadasala- Kalinga Akhadasal, now turned into a modern day gymnasium.
Established in 1928, the Kalinga Akhadasal has four other centers in the city. At present only one center is running at Chowdhury bazaar. But shockingly, it has no instruction facilities and trainers for traditional events like wrestling, weightlifting and boxing.
The center shifted to its present location in Chowdhury bazaar in 1935 and since then engaged in promoting traditional sports, said Chakradhar Behera (86), the sole wrestling coach and manager of the center.

"We were trained by the renowned wrester and Utkal Bhima awardee Padma Charan Nayak who came from Puri and started the Akhadashal", said Behera, the working president of Orissa wrestling Association.

Trained at the center, Behera represented the state at many national events and was Manager for the team India at the 1992 8th Asian GRECO Roman Free Style Wrestling Championship.

"We had six trainers till 1990 but with lack of interest among the new age youths, only one trainer available at present", said the veteran wrestler adding that those traditional sporting events are only limited to our annual wrestling championship, which held in January every year.
As the number of students decreased over the years, the state government set up a modern gymnasium at the center in 2000. Since then the akhdasal rechristened as Kalinga Gymnasium, which is now popular among city youths for body building purposes.
Had the government taken proper interest in promoting the traditional sports centers in the form of Akhadas, it could have attracted the youth masses for shaping their career in traditional sporting events, he opined.