Who was the grandfather of Indian Gymnastics movement ?

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is (3):
Shree Samarth Ramdas Swamee is historically recognized as the pioneer of the organized physical culture and indigenous gymnastics movement in India, particularly within 17th-century Maharashtra. As the spiritual guide (*Rajaguru*) of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, he championed the ideology that physical strength was an essential component of a righteous and self-governed society, alongside spiritual and intellectual development. To propagate this, Samarth Ramdas systematically established a vast network of **Hanuman (Maruti) Temples** throughout the region, which functioned as centers of worship and communal **gymnasiums** (*akhadas* or *vyayamshalas*). These centers institutionalized the practice of traditional Indian physical exercises, such as *Mallakhamb*, wrestling, *dand*, *baithek*, and *Surya Namaskar*, thereby fostering physical fitness and a martial spirit among the youth, earning him the title of 'grandfather' of the movement.

The incorrect option is (1):
Shivaji Maharaj was the great Maratha ruler who was a staunch disciple of Samarth Ramdas Swamee. While Shivaji Maharaj wholeheartedly supported and patronized the cultural and military revival efforts, including the establishment of *akhadas*, his primary role was that of a king and a military leader. The spiritual, philosophical, and organizational drive to establish the physical culture network was primarily Samarth Ramdas's mission. Therefore, Shivaji was the patron who enabled the movement, but Samarth Ramdas was its direct founder and spiritual mentor.

The incorrect option is (2):
H. C. Buck is a significant figure in the history of **modern** Physical Education in India, with his influence primarily dating back to the early 20th century. He is famously associated with the founding of the YMCA College of Physical Education in Madras (Chennai) in 1920, which professionalized Physical Education training in the country. His contributions are in the field of institutional, curriculum-based Physical Education and not the 17th-century traditional Indian Gymnastics movement.

The incorrect option is (4):
Shree Devdhar is not cited in prominent historical or academic records as a central figure in the founding or pioneering phase of the Indian Gymnastics movement. The options provided cover a Maratha king, a modern physical education pioneer, and the 17th-century spiritual reformer Samarth Ramdas. Lacking the historical context of being a foundational leader, Shree Devdhar is not a historically accurate answer for the "grandfather" of this movement.