Kushti
India
Train mind, skill, and body.
Wrestlers, ranging from young boys to men in their mid-twenties, form tight-knit communities within these akharas, often regarding their fellow wrestlers as family.
Traditional Indian clubs like the gada and jori are utilized for workouts, alongside rope climbing and stone lifting.
Beyond physical training, wrestlers follow a disciplined lifestyle, abstaining from alcohol, tobacco, and sexual activity, reflecting the profound spiritual significance of Kushti.
Yet, modernization poses a threat, with many wrestlers forsaking traditional mud pits for foam mats and modern gyms, leading to a decline in traditional akharas.
Despite these challenges, Kushti endures as a revered subculture, embodying values of discipline, honor, and communal living.
Wrestlers continue to uphold the ancient traditions of their sport, praying to the monkey god Hanuman for strength and fearlessness before each practice.
While facing pressures of modernity, Kushti remains a symbol of resilience, particularly in regions like Maharashtra, where traditional akharas persist in the face of changing times.
＊ Akhara refers to a training ground with accommodations, training, and facilities for Indian martial arts.
＊top photo : The tool called Mudgar, along with Samtola and Gada, has been traditionally used as a tool for training the body.
Upholding a rigorous daily routine, which begins as early as 4 am, wrestlers engage in intense training sessions encompassing wrestling practice, weightlifting, and hundreds of push-ups.
Training methods have not changed since ancient times.
Hindu squats and barbell lifting.
Inside the training ground, statues of Lord Hanuman are placed, watching over them.
The origin of wrestling dates back to at least 15,000 years ago, as evidenced by cave paintings.
Around 300 BCE, the prototype of Hinduism began to take shape, and subsequently, through integration, wrestling evolved into Kushti.
The training area is sweltering. It gets as hot as a sauna in the summer.
A short break.
In the soil of the Kushti training ground, a mixture of yogurt, butter, and turmeric powder is used as clay.
When it starts to dry, water is sprinkled on it.
Wash off the red soil clinging to your body in the shower.
Their diet, known as "khurak," comprises crushed almonds, milk, ghee, and vegetables, forming the cornerstone of their nutritional regimen.
Napping is essential time for recovering both physical and mental energy.
In every match, heroes are born, becoming idols for children to admire.
Akhara has been watching over thousands of athletes.
It is a sacred place, accessible only to those involved, and one must be barefoot to enter.
Returning to the Akhara I visited a decade ago, I showed them the photos I took back then, but none of the members from that time remained.
However, their Akhara remained intact. Perhaps due to the nation's endorsement of victories in wrestling at the Olympics, or the widespread popularity of the 2016 Indian wrestling film "Dangal," I felt a shift towards modern wrestling training over Kushti.
It seems they may be transitioning from training in Kushti, which hones mind, skill, and body, to creating winners in the Akhara. Nonetheless, the training in Kushti remains incredibly powerful, as always.
So this time,I was allowed to observe for one week, and I visited twice starting from 4 a.m.
On the first day, they tirelessly did push-ups, sit-ups, and back exercises for almost an hour without rest.
The second day, they jogged for an hour, then as the sun rose, they began playing soccer. Jogging seemed to be for endurance, while soccer for explosive power training.
However, I was surprised to learn that these activities were just warm-ups.