My Pahalwani....

My Gymnasium's name was Pragati Vyayamakalashala at Vizag. My first introduction to a " Dungla "..an Akhadha. I was asked to join on the first Tuesday after my application for admission. I was just 14 years then. I was to report with a bottle of Mustard oil and one pair of Langot ( loin cloth ). On my first day, after joining I was made to pray to Hanuman and was made to take vow that I won't think about women and talk about them till I was a member of that " Club"...a strict Brahmacharya. Then, I was introduced to my Guru Sri Venkat Rao Garu, a well known body builder of the state Andhra Pradesh and of course I had to take his blessings by touching his feet. My first task was to do only 11 sit-ups and 11 push-ups( Dandeelu, Baskeelu )...and thus I was enrolled with a huge Red Tilak on my forehead. Within no time, I started doing non-stop 50 Dand and 100 Baithak..later my target reached 100 Dand and 300 Baithaks. My day used to begin by gulping 

few raw eggs . a glass of milk and couple of plantains( Bananas). And then there was an Annual Dand Baithak competition, which I won with ease. But soon, I started missing all the beautiful girls of my teens and of course missing my classes too, because these excessive exercises used to make me sleepy in my classroom and I barely could listen to any lectures.