Tag: Veeraghattam

Kodi Rammurthy Naidu “The Indian Hercules” was a renowned strongman from Veeraghattam. India — a small town, a short distance from Vizianagram in the Madras Presidency. Like many other strongmen, he was a sickly youth, having been stricken with asthma as a young man. Naidu turned to physical training to cure himself and keep right on building from there. He performed many amazing and unusual feats — lifting four men by means of a chain over his shoulder, allowing heavy wagons to drive over his body, “the human link” — stopping two motor cars being driven in opposite directions, chain breaking, etc., etc. His most remarkable feat, however, and the one that rightfully earned his nickname, was to support a four-ton elephant standing on his chest, shown above. It was said that Naidu was able tyo concentrate all his life forces — as he called them — at one or more points in is body so that great weight imposed upon them will not crush his bones or strain his muscles.