Kushti is an indigenous form of wrestling in India and Pakistan based on an ancient traditional wrestling and physical culture template that dates back thousands of years. The twice-daily workout sessions under the supervision of a guru at the local akharas or wrestling gymnasiums was once a royal national sport. Training with total devotion and intensity, the wrestler learns through exercise, diet, self-control and celibacy that his strength ultimately goes beyond the mere physical.

Kushti wrestling takes place in a clay or dirt pit. The soil is mixed with ghee and other things and is tended to before each practice. Wrestlers’ diets consist of milk, almonds, ghee, eggs and chapattis and each wrestler has a job to do in preparing meals. The sport is on the decline, but there are still many akharas left and some dedicated people are working to keep this ancient part of Indo culture alive.

Before practice begins, a wrestler digs the pit with a shovel to loosen the soil. It is then flattened using a heavy stone weight with a rope tied to it, which another wrestler drags around the pit. Often a younger, lighter wrestler will sit on the weight while it is being pulled to offer more resistance.

Most akharas have shrines for wrestlers to pay homage to the Hanuman, the Hindu god of strength. After cleaning up, the wrestlers prepare meals. One task is grinding up almonds. After the almonds have been reduced to a paste, they are put into a cloth or a strainer and milk or water is squeezed through to make a protein-filled drink designed to build muscles. Push-ups and swinging huge wooden clubs are exercises wrestlers do to build strength. There are no weight classes in traditional kushti, so most wrestlers aim to get as big as they can. Smaller wrestlers often train with much bigger guys.