Not many people live to see their 80-year birthday. Even when some do, they become weak and infirm in most cases. But then there is a rare breed that does not only defy age but retains its vitality like youths. Members of this special category are the evergreen young people who amaze by their physical and mental fitness and alacrity. One such youthful 80-year-old man from China has to his credit an unerring appeal for young ladies in his country. They call him by several sweet names. Some young Chinese women find him attractive, others call him manly and still others praise his fine skin. Overall he is a heartthrob to the young members of the fair sex.
But what makes this old young man special is that he walks ramps. Maybe, he is the oldest ever person to flaunt his well-built muscle before the connoisseurs of physical pageant. No wonder, film stars in China have accepted him as their idol, their icon for the body shape he has maintained at this advanced age. He surely is an envy of youths who feel small before his presence with such a shapely attractive frame. There is a competition among big business houses to organise ramp shows with him. He surely does not mind. He is fully aware of his physical attributes.
Yet, he makes it clear that the attributes are not all a natural gift. One has to earn it also. He has regularly followed some regimes of physical exercise all through his life. He has, however, not divulged the kind of foods he eats except that he takes a little wine. But wine --no matter how moderate it is --cannot be an alternative to the main course of lunch or dinner. So it was necessary to know what really consists of his staple food, his breakfast, lunch and dinner. Many would have felt inspired to follow him in making a choice for diet. Some are blessed with genetic gifts --ones that delay aging. He may as well have such a gift but unless it is complemented by his own habits and disciplined lifestyle, there was little chance of retaining youthfulness for him so late.
Be that what it may, the Bangalees have no reason to feel ashamed when it comes to such age-defying youthfulness. In fact, they have a world champion in the shape of Manohar Aich who was lovingly called the 'Poecket Hercules'. In the early fifties, the 4-feet-11-inch-tall man he won the Mr. Universe title in bodybuilding competitions twice, the first and only Bangalee to have done so. Monotosh Roy was however the first man to capture the title in 1951. Aich used to exercise until before his death in June this year at the age 104. He was a man who always encouraged young people to take regular exercise. Throughout his life he advocated for physical fitness. His was a life-long mission to convince the Bangalees that as a race, they can compete with any in physical attributes.
Except for cricket, today's youths in Bangladesh and Bengal (now renamed from Pascim Bango) hardly pursue other sports and games with real seriousness. But only a few excel in this game. An overwhelming majority of young people on both sides of the border do not take to any outdoor activity. Their only entertainment or passion is computer or cell phone game. With no physical exercise or participation in games and sports, their physical development --and by extension mental --remain incomplete. Without physical fitness, these young people are likely to suffer various illnesses and fall short of realising their full potential.
The heartthrob grandpa has brought to the fore a very important element of life. To live a full and satisfying life, you have to have a sound physique. Nothing in this world can be a substitute for robust health. Material wealth cannot bring happiness to one suffering from ill health. A sound body is also a prerequisite for a sound mind and on this largely depends one's all-round well-being and mental peace and happiness. Let no one err on maintaining regularity and discipline as a condition for achieving good health and mental serenity. Heartthrob or no hardly matters. The important thing is to enjoy life.
Heartthrob grandpa has an important message to deliver
Nilratan Halder | Published: November 12, 2016 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00
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