Most countries have a traditional style of wrestling. In India, wrestling takes place in a clay or dirt pit. This ancient sport used to hold great importance in Indian societies of the past. Its popularity in recent years has diminished gradually.
The soil is mixed with ghee and other things and is tended to before each practice. Wrestlers belong to gyms called akharas, where wrestlers live under strict rules. Their diets consist of milk, almonds, ghee, eggs and chapattis and each wrestler has a job to do in preparing the meals. The sport is on the decline, but there are still many akharas left and some dedicated people who are working to keep this ancient part of Indian culture alive. The Kushti wrestler is also restricted regarding sex, wine, tobacco and drugs.
By Indranil Aditya