Strength of body, strength of mind
The human body is capable of great things. If you are in any doubt of that fact, a look at people performing the ancient Indian sport of Mallakhamb may be enough to convince you.
Practitioners suspend themselves from ropes or grip onto wooden poles and contort themselves into one tricky yogic posture after another - an activity supposed to toughen up their bodies and focus their minds.
A boy hangs from a bar during a Mallakhamb class at the Shree Samartha Vyayam Mandir in Mumbai – a centre in one of the city’s parks where training in the sport takes place.
An instructor watches children performing on a wooden pole during a Mallakhamb class.
Two little boys warm up before a class: one on a manually operated treadmill, one practicing handstands.
A boy walks under a statue of Balambhatta Dada Deodhar, founder of the modern version of Mallakhamb.
A boy grimaces as he performs a stretch in a Mallakhamb class.
A boy carries a gym mat during a Mallakhamb class.
A row of boys wearing bright orange trunks line up before performing.
A group of boys prepare to set up a Mallakhamb pole. The name of the sport is actually derived from the word for wooden pole (“khamba”) and the word for strong man (“malla”).
A boy grips onto the pole with powdered hands.
A boy performs an upside-down Mallakhamb pose.
Boys laugh during a class.
A girl performs lotus position hanging from a rope.
Another girl contorts herself into an upside-down, hanging posture.
