Indian kushti wrestlers prepare the ground for a training session at Guru Hanuman Akhada. It’s one of the oldest akhada, a kind of wrestling hostel, at Sabzi Mandi in New Delhi. Kushti wrestling faces the threat of being left behind, but for many poor families, the ancient sport provides a glimmer of hope.
AP
2 of 17
A kushti wrestler warms up by pulling a rope to lift a bucket of concrete at an akhada at Sabzi Mandi.
AP
3 of 17
Photos and certificates on the wall of Guru Hunuman Akhada chronicle the achievements of Kushti wrestlers.
AP
4 of 17
Trophies won by Kushti wrestlers are piled up in the office of Guru Hunuman Akhada.
AP
5 of 17
Kushti wrestlers massage each other during a training session at an akhada at Sabzi Mandi.
AP
6 of 17
Kushti wrestlers grapple in the ring at an akhada at Sabzi Mandi.
AP
7 of 17
Langots, the traditional undergarments worn by kushti wrestlers, hang on a rope at an akhada.
AP
8 of 17
Rope climbing is part of the daily training routine at an akhada.
AP
9 of 17
Kufti wrestlers jog at an akhada at Bahadurgarh, in Haryana, India.
AP
10 of 17
Kushti wrestlers take turns climbing a rope at an akhada at Bahadurgarh.
AP
11 of 17
Kushti wrestlers wait for their turn to practice push-ups at an akhada at Bahadurgarh.
AP
12 of 17
Kushti wrestlers warm up during their daily training at an akhada at Bahadurgarh.
AP
13 of 17
Kushti wrestlers bathe at a well after training at an akhada at Bahadurgarh.
AP
14 of 17
A spade and flowers from the weekly prayers at an akhada at Sabzi Mandi.
AP
15 of 17
Akhada rings, like this one at Sabzi Mandi, feature shrines to the Hindu god Hanuman, who is seen as a kind of patron saint to the sport of Kushti wrestling.
AP
16 of 17
Kushti wrestlers battle during their daily training at an akhada at Sabzi Mandi.
AP
17 of 17
Uday Shiv, a Kushti wrestler, during a training session at an akhada at Sabzi Mandi.
AP
