gymkhana n : a meet at which riders and horses display a range of skills and aptitudes

English

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɑːnə

Noun

gymkhana

1. A competition where riders and horses display a range of skills and aptitudes.

Gymkhana (derived from the Urdu, Hindi or Hindustani languages) word for "racket court"http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/gymkhana) is an Indian term which originally referred to a place where sporting events take place and referred to any of various meets at which contests were held to test the skill of the competitors.

In India, the term gymkhana is commonly used to refer to a gym. More generally, Gymkhana referred (and still refers) to a social and sporting club in the Indian subcontinent, and in other Asian countries including Malaysia, Thailand, Burma and Singapore, as well as East Africa.

The word Gymkhana consists of Gym, which is the abbreviation of both Gymnasium (Latin from Greek Gumnasion) and Gymnastics (from the Latin Gymnasticus and the Greek Gumnastikos), and Khāna, or Khāneh, meaning Home, which originates from the Old Persian word Āhana, changing into Xānak in Pahlavi.

In English-speaking countries, a gymkhana refers to a multi-game equestrian event performed to display the training and talents of horses and their riders.

Notes

See also

• Bombay Gymkhana
• Delhi Gymkhana
• Jamalpur Gymkhana
• Gym
• Chennai Gymkhana Club

Highland games, Olympiad, Olympic games, Olympics, bout, carousel, concours, contest, derby, encounter, engagement, field day, fight, game, games, go, joust, match, matching, meet, meeting, rally, regatta, rencontre, test, the Olympics, tilt, tournament, tourney, track meet, trial