The Board of Trustees and Members of the Governing Body
of
THE K R CAMA ORIENTAL INSTITUTE
invite you to a lecture along with a power-point presentation
on
“‘Lost Worlds’: Parsi ‘Çultures’ And
Strongmen In Twentieth Century Bombay”
by
Dr Namrata Ganneri
Research Fellow
Avabai Wadia Research Fellowship in memory of Phiroz Mehta
at
6 pm on Wednesday, 14th March 2018
in the Dr Sir J J Modi Memorial Hall of the Institute
136 Bombay Samachar Marg, Opposite Lion Gate, Fort,
Mumbai – 400 023
Dr Louiza Rodrigues
Professor, Department Of History,
Ramnarain Ruia Autonomous College, Mumbai
will preside
Do join us for tea at 5.30 pm
RSVP 22843893 / 08879253893 E-mail: krcamaoi123@gmail.com
Right of Admission Reserved
Abstract:
‘Lost Worlds’: Parsi ‘Cultures’ and strongmen in twentieth century Bombay
Parsi patronage as well as participation in most modern ‘organised’ sports is well- documented and discussed, but their participation in ‘physical culture movement’ remains obscure and under-investigated. The ‘Physical Culture Movement’ emanating from the North-Atlantic world consisted of various combinations of gymnastics, calisthenics, weight-lifting and dieting to develop muscular, healthy bodies and had adherents all over the world by the first few decades of the twentieth century. Consequently, ‘Physical Culture Homes’ or ‘Çultures’ were founded and physical culture became a craze amongst many Parsi men (and some women) in the city of Bombay.
This lecture traces the history of ‘Physical Culture Homes’ and some iconic strongmen and physical culturists who emerged from these institutes. Many of these men were ‘local heroes’ and are still alive in ‘community memory’ though their histories have not been recorded in any conventional historical archive. The lecture also retrieves traditions of Parsi involvement in ‘índigenous’ wrestling and allied sports and comments on continuities with older traditions of body-building. Finally, the lecture will also be an opportunity to showcase the wealth of material collected during interviews with elderly physical -culture enthusiasts and strongmen of the community.