Skill, stamina and strength — all rolled into one!

The Indian city of Varanasi is commonly known for its tranquil, spiritual ambience, but the sport of ‘kushti’ — a traditional form of wrestling — shows a completely different side to the place. Intensive training takes place deep inside the northern city at wrestling rings known as ‘akhadas’. The sportsmen thrive on a master-disciple relationship as the former guides the latter through practice sessions daily. Gulf News reader Arvind Madhu clicked and shared these pictures of the action.

The ring is not confined to only youngsters. Men over 60 are regular participants, too. Their stamina and fitness levels are on par with any other member. Madhu said: “The head of the club, the brisk and highly active man who is past 60 years of age,...

Madhu said: “The high-voltage practice match continues until one participant is defeated by the other. The students trained in the club have been stellar performers and achievers in many contests and competitions worldwide.”

All wrestlers usually attend a morning practice session in which they tackle different opponents. The practice is supervised by the master.

A “Pehlwan” or wrestler has strict daily excercises and a warm-up routine to keep fit and disciplined. The head of the arena that Madhu visited said, “If any child nurtures a wish to join this akhada (ring) we first meet him in the presence of his...

The akhada is a ring with a bed of mud. It is dimly lit and roofed. Here matches take place one after the other as disciples continue to choose and wrestle challenging opponents.

The “mugdar” plays an important role in wrestling. It’s a heavy wooden club used by these wrestlers to build muscle, especially around the arms.