CHW explores Kalinga Gymnasium

The 77th edition of Cuttack Heritage Walks (CHW) took participants on a fascinating journey into the legacy of the century-old Kalinga Gymnasium (Bayamshala), one of Cuttack’s most remarkable institutions that have long stood as a symbol of discipline, fitness, and cultural pride.

- POST NEWS NETWORK

Located near Saheed Bhawan in the city’s Choudhury Bazaar area, the gymnasium has been nurturing the traditional arts of wrestling and physical fitness for over a hundred years.

Founded in 1920 by the late Padma Charan Ray, the gymnasium initially began in the Kazi Bazaar area and later shifted to Nimchouri in 1928. Impressed by Ray’s skills and his dedication to physical education, the then British administration allotted about one acre of land in 1943 to establish the Kalinga Gymnasium at its present site. Since then, it has been a hub for aspiring wrestlers, weightlifters, and fitness enthusiasts.