Bangalore 2009

Bangalore: 2009

Ustad Kayangadi Papanna's Massage Institute, Chickpet Bangalore.

Info: 

Since 1860. 

This is in Akkipet Main Road, Near Cottenpet Hospital, in Chickpet.  

a little after Tawakkal Mastan Dargah

If i want to translate the above address it will be: it is in the main road of Rice market, which is near the Cotten market hospital and this is part of the Small market zone.  

This was not just a Massage center but also a Akhada or Kusti (wrestling) Center. which is evident in the shops display. The Akkipet is the original place where Kayangadi Papanna started his Wrestling school and then a massage center.

This shop competes with the high tech multinational fitness institutes mushrooming all over the city, that's why the shop now calls itself as Kayangadi Papanna Massage Institute. earlier it was simple "Kayangadi Papanna's"

This shop talks about the history of Bangalore city - the past 150 years- the best preserving living archive of the city.

The late Kayangadi Papanna (a coconut seller by profession) was one such. He had trounced several stalwart pehlwans. Pleased by his feats, the then Mysore Maharaja bestowed upon him the title Ustad, in 1876.... ( quote from hindu)

They say as the late Kayangadi Papanna used to also train pehlwans - under him there was more than hundred students - as the profession leads to have injuries and muscle  pulls - Papanna decided to learn the art of massage.

The main one is in Akkipet from where this phelwani cum massage center started - but now because of batwara'ss - property divides amoung his children grandchildren or great grand children....  which has lead to many small small centers in town. 

one i found in Rajajinagar which says Ustad Kayangadi Papanna Policlinic they have a website:   http://kayangadipapanna.com/ 

The main center (the historical place where it started) dosnt have any website yet, but you can find little bit of history in an article which came in Hindu: 

http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/02/23/stories/2004022302320300.htm

Suresh Jayaram introduced me to this fantastic place. i was too tempted to get a massage - but unfortunately they do not do any massage for pleasure.
Now-a-days The problem with oral history is it either remains exactly the same measured in a measuring cup or it changes 100%. but most of them are quite romantic nostalgia.