Ahmedabad’s old school of wrestling wins bout with changing times

AHMEDABAD: Vasant Vyayamshala near Bhadra, Lal Darwaja, has stood the test of time and then some more. While most of the other akhadas have long bitten the dust and made way for swanky gymnasiums, this akhada has not only held on to tradition but today stands for communal harmony and more importantly is an incubation centre for a new breed of women wrestlers.
The downturn for traditional akhadas started some 15 years ago. There were some 20 akhadas in the city then. Today, Vasant Vyayamshala is the sole survivor. This akhada is now on a mission — giving new meaning to ‘girl power’.
In 1918 when akhadas began mushrooming in the city, riding a wave of fan following for the sport, Vasant Vyayamshala was known as Sarvajanik Vyayamshala.
In 1948, when the city witnessed communal riots, two youths created history – Vasant Rao Hegeste and his Muslim friend Rajab Ali. They stood together against community members and asked them to put an end to the violence. Though the youths were killed in the riots, they were immortalized by the incident. Even today Vasant and Rajab are equated with communal harmony in Gujarat.
“After this incident, the institution was re-christened in their memory as Vasant Vyayamshala and Rajab Ali library – both are situated in the same building complex,” said wrestling and judo coach, Hanif Raj Shaikh. The tradition of promoting communal harmony continues even today at the complex. Every Saturday Hindu and Muslim sportsmen gather together at the akhada to recitations of the Hanuman Chalisa and the Quran.
“This tradition has been continuing without a break since 1947,” said secretary of Vasant Vyayamshala, Sanjay Solanki. “This is the only traditional akhada remaining in the city. The akhada is run by a trust and receives some financial support from the state government,” said Solanki.