Akharas and vyamshalas were places for martial arts training and physical exercise in ancient India. Akharas provided boarding and lodging facilities for practicing martial artists under a guru. Vyamshalas, also known as gymnasiums, were covered spaces for gymnastics and athletics. Physical training was an important part of education from the Vedic period and included exercises, yoga, and sports in Nalanda universities. Wrestling was a popular sport and competitions were held in akhara arenas. A variety of gymnastic equipment was used for physical training. Maintaining a healthy mind and body through exercise was an important Indian tradition from ancient times.

1. Akharas
&
Vyamshala

2. Meaning
• The word Gym (Vyamshala) derives from the common
Greek adjective “gymnos” meaning "naked", by way of the
related verb “gymnazo”, whose meaning is"to train naked”.
• The verb had this meaning, because athletes in ancient
times exercised and competed without clothing. It came
into usein the 1570s, from Latin gymnasticus, from Greek
gynmastikos "fond of or skilled in bodily exercise," from
gymnazein "to exercise or train"

3. • In 1569, Girolamo Mercuriale from Forlì (Italy)
wrote LeArte Gymnastica, which brought
together his study of the attitudes of the
ancients toward diet, exercise and hygiene,
and the use of natural methods for the cure of
disease. LeArte Gymnastica also explained the
principles of physical therapy and is
considered the first book on sports medicine.
History of Physical Education

5. Akhara
Akhara or Akhada अखाडा, shortened to is an Indian
word for a place of practice with facilities for
boarding, lodging and training, both in the context
of Indian martial artists or a sampradaya monastery
for religious renunciates in Guru–shishya tradition.
For example, in the context of the Dashanami
Sampradaya sect, the word denotes both martial
arts and religious monastic aspects of the trident
wielding martial regiment of renunciate sadhus.

6. History of Akhara
In its earliest usage, akhara referred to training halls for
professional fighters. Govind Sadashiv Ghurye translates
the term as "military regiment". Ancient use of the word
can be found in the Mahabharata (c. 400 BCE text
describing 900 BCE era) epic which mentions
Jarasandha's Akhara at Rajgir. Legendary figures like
Parashurama and Agastya are credited as the founders of
the early martial akhara in certain regions of India.

7. In fact, the history of physical education in India can not be
studied along with the classification of various periods of
political history of Indian which is divided into following ages:
Vedic age (2000-1000 B.C.)
Epic age (1000-600 B. C. )
Historical age (600 B. C.) Nalanda period (300 A. D.)
Rajput period (300 to 1200 A. D.)
Muslim period (1200 to 1750 A.D.)
British period (up to 1947)
Modern India (After 1947)

8. Two types of Akhara:
Shashtradhari and Astradhari
Shastradhari (Sanskrit: शास्त्रधारी) intelligentsia.
Astradhari (Sanskrit: अस्त्रधारी) warriors.
This refers to the Naga sadhus (a sub-set of Dashanami
Sampradaya), an armed order created by Shankaracharya
to act as a Hindu army. These highly militant sadhu used
to serve as mercenaries and thus were divided into akhara
or regiments. Although they still carry weapons, the
modern Naga sadhu rarely practice any form of fighting
aside from wrestling.

9. DangalWhile akhara is a place where practicing martial artists lodge and
train under a martial art guru, akhara is also usually an arena for
the dangal organised among the competing sports person. While
living at akhara, pehlwan practice celibacy, stay smoke free and
alcohol free and they eat nutrition tradition diet usually rich in milk,
ghee, dried nuts and roti. Dangal is originally a Punjabi language
word which means Sparring or competition in akhara. Sparring is a
form of training common to many combat sports which may vary in
its precise form varies, but it is relatively 'free-form' fighting, with
enough rules, customs, or agreements to make injuries unlikely.

10. Vayamshala (Gymnasium)
A gymnasium, also known as a gym, is a covered location
for gymnastics, athletics, and gymnastic services. The
word is derived from the ancient Greek gymnasium. They
are commonly found in athletic and fitness centers, and as
activity and learning spaces in educational institutions.
"Gym" is also slang for "fitness center", which is often an
area for indoor recreation.

11. History of Vayamshala
Individual competition:- Individual competition were
organised during master period. the fighting went on till one
of the fighter was seriously injured or killed. fighting were
also organised between men and beasts.
There was revival of Hinduism during this period . This
period may be known as the chivalry. The Rajput were very
proud and were divided in to hundreds of clans. They did
not believe in a central authority and were often at daggers
drawn with each other. However they remained in their full
bloom unto 13th century.

12. Nalanda period
Nalanda was great seat of learning where more then 6000
students, not only from various part of country, but also
from foreign lands, used to study . Along with religious,
scriptural and philosophical discourses , physical education
was taught to the student for keeping good health .
Pranayama and suryanamaskar were done every day
without exception all the year round. The life of the student
used to be very hard during this period . Walking, some
considered to be atonic for health.

13. Equipments for
Vyamshala
& Akhara

14. Still rings
Uneven bars
High bar
Parallel bars (Artistic)
Pommel horse
Plane
Diagonal plane
Horizontal plane
Safety platform
Beat board Ball –
Clubs -

17. if we turn to the ancient texts, the Vedas and
Upanishads, we will see that the body, far from being
regarded by spiritual seekers as an obstacle, something to
be discarded, was considered as a receptacle for
strength (bald}. Strength was among physical qualities the
most praised:

18. Since ancient times, people in India believed that the human
body is indeed an instrument of dharma (shareeramevādya hi
khalu dharmasādhanam). Hence the body is to be properly
nourished, and maintained. In medieval Karnataka people gave
as much importance to physical exercise as to literary
education. The principle of “a sound mind in a sound body”
was not only accepted but also faithfully practiced. The system
of yoga was the first step in spiritual training. Yoga comprises
full-fledged toning of the body and mind. It includes the use of
various body postures to control breathing and muscle
movements, and to help gain control over human passions as
well. It was the general belief that this balancing of the body
and mind led to intellectual strength.

19. Manasollasa mentions special
coaching provided to wrestlers.
To warm up, the would-be-
wrestlers had to do jog three
miles early morning. This was
followed by dands and sit-ups.
Weight lifting was also undertaken
by the wrestlers in order to
strengthen the body. After resting
for a while, wrestlers descended
into the wrestling pit filled with
finely sieved sand. They saluted
each other in traditional style and
began the joust when a signal was
given.

20. There appears to have been
two types in wrestling, as
observed by Paes. One
emphasized the game of
strength while the second was
violent and resembled modern
boxing. Nunez had seen that
in some instances wrestlers
struck and wounded each
other with circlets and with
points, which they were
allowed to conceal in their
hands. We have sculptural
representations of both types
of these martial sports

21. Father Du Jarric, who visited a gymnasium at Chandragiri
in the 17th century, has left an interesting account of
nobles who exercised through boxing, jumping, fencing
and wrestling. He observed that these exercises were
undertaken almost daily before dinner in order to be fit and
healthy; "thus men as old as seventy years look only
thirty". Perhaps such daily exercises were not common in
contemporary Europe. Pietro della Valle who visited Ikkeri
in 1623 C.E. has left a vivid description of kōlāta by
women. He has also stated that among Indians it is the
custom for everyone to manage and use one sort of arms
wherein he "accustomed himself."