Gymkhana () (, , , , ) is a British Raj term which originally referred to a place of assembly. The meaning then altered to denote a place where skill-based contests were held. "Gymkhana" is an Anglo-Indian expression, which is derived from the Persian word "Jamat-khana". Most gymkhanas have a Gymkhana Club associated with them, a term coined during the British Raj for gentlemen's club. More generally, gymkhana 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 in East Africa. Etymology The first element of Gymkhana comes from gend meaning ball in Hindi/Hindustani/Khariboli. This element is distinct from the English word gym, short for gymnasium and gymnastics which has Greek and Latin roots. The second element, khānā has a Persian origin, meaning a home or a compartment. In Persian, (خانه) is a term for dwelling, house. The court language of the Mughal Empire was Persian. See also List of India's gentlemen's clubs Hindu Gymkhana Bombay Gymkhana, Mumbai Deccan Gymkhana, Pune Delhi Gymkhana, Delhi HUDA Gymkhana Club, Sonipat Golaghat Gymkhana, Assam Chennai Gymkhana Club Madras Gymkhana Club, Chennai Gymkhana Ground, Rangoon, Myanmar Jamalpur Gymkhana, Bihar Jorhat Gymkhana Club, Assam Karachi Gymkhana Club, Pakistan Lahore Gymkhana Club, Pakistan Atmosphere Fitness, Karachi Nairobi Gymkhana Club, Kenya Bahawal Gymkhana Bahawalpur, Pakistan Vehari Gymkhana, Pakistan Sahiwal Gymkhana, Pakistan References External links Urdu-language words and phrases Hindi words and phrases Bengali words and phrases Sports venues Equestrian festivals