Located in the Dandia Bazaar area of the city is the Shree Jummadada Vyayam Mandir, which literally translates to “Temple of Physical Education”. The institute was started by Jummadada in about 1853 as an Akhada, in the Warasia area. It was later expanded and went on to become Professor Manikrao’s Shree Jummadada Vyayam Mandir.
Jummadada and the Akhada :
Also known as Jummadada Akhada or Jummadada Vyayam Shala, the institute almost became a beacon for reviving the Indian Martial arts. The Vyayam Mandir of today, was actually started in a hut, by Jummadada who actually became a wrestler himself under the patronage of Maharaja of Baroda.
Jummadada was rescued from the Gir forests as an orphaned infant and was brought to Baroda. While growing up, he received patronage of the Maharaja and started getting training in martial arts. He mastered the various arts of sword, dagger, and lance fighting along with various skills of Malkhamb. he started attending Akhada (gymnasium) and began learning Gita and other Sanskrit scriptures and Doha’s of Kabir. Later, he started attending Akhada (gymnasium) and began learning Gita and other Sanskrit scriptures and Doha’s of Kabir.
Later he established his own Akhada where he received and trained several pupils in the Indian martial arts. Amongst them was Gajanan who went on to become Prof. Manikrao, would carry on the legacy of his guru. When Jummadada passed away at the age of 110 years in the year 1904, he entrusted the responsibility of Akhada to Gajanan.
Carrying forward the legacy :
Manikrao himself can be classified an “all-rounder” individual. He was a master of Malla vidya, Shastra vidya, Hakim (Unani practitioner), Vaidya (Ayurveda expert), was also well versed in Bone setting (Astisandhan vidya), a pharmacist, a social reformer, a social worker, a writer, excellent orator, and an highly patriotic personality. Apart from this he was also proficient in several languages such as Hindi, Sanskrit, Guajarati, Marathi, Urdu, Persian, and Farsi.
Initially Gajanan, then Manikrao, wrote many books in Hindi and Marathi which described various Indian exercises and the use of weaponry which was almost forgotten. His knowledge of Indian weaponry and efficiency in handling them was unique and authoritative as can be seen through his book “Shree Pratap Shastrgar” written by him while arranging the museum of Gaekwads weapons in Maharaja of Baroda’s palace (ie Lukshmi Vilas Palace).
Thus, all these qualities led him towards becoming the person who carried forward the legacy of Jummadada. The first change Gajanan brought about was calling Akhada a “Vyayam Mandir” (Temple of Physical Education). He revolutionized the approach of teaching the Martial Arts through group exercises which made them more presentable and acceptable to masses. The entire outlook of looking towards Akhada then changed and the people from well to do families started sending their children to this institution. He even started a “Kanya Aarogya Mandir” for providing physical education to the females.
He was later conferred upon with titles like “Professor”, “Rajratna” and “Rajpriya” by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad for his untiring social work and selfless service.
Worth knowing :
The Institution houses it’s own room of arms & ammunition collection of Manikrao, known as Shastraghar. The room is full of old artifacts belonging to many famed warriors of India. The collection includes a swords used in battle by Tipu Sultan, Maharana Pratap & Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. It also houses Shivaji’s famous Vagh Nakh (shaped like claws of tiger) & Minto Handshake medal (given to Manikrao for curing Lord Minto’s pain in his hand).
It is also home to a Shivaji Mandir, the only temple dedicated to the memory of the great Maratha Warrior. It was established by Prof. Manikrao on the 400th birth anniversary of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
It was in this Akhada, that the public celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi first started in Baroda in 1901, as inspired by Lokmanya Tilak. The akhada was also an important part of the Indian Freedom Movement. It gave refuge to several revolutionaries during the movement.
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What started as a just a small Akhada, came to become a full fledged institute that revived Indian Martial Arts. It went on to educate several thousand pupils who in continuing the legacy, established many other “Vyayam Shalas” in different parts of the country. The institute still runs as a tribute to Jummadada and Prof. Manikrao and continues to impart physical education to the masses.
Partial Source: professormanikrao.in
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