I have always been fascinated by wrestling and on my recent trip to Varanasi (Benares), I finally managed to get a closer peek into the world of traditional Indian wrestling. Varanasi is one of the oldest seats of the sport in India and in erstwhile eras found patrons in the various Aakharas (traditional gymnasiums) where wrestlers would live and practice the sport under the watchful eyes of their guru.
Luckily, the aakhara culture is still quite prevalent in these parts of the country. Varanasi alone has more than twenty aakharas that coach and nurture young talent. I visited the Tulsidas aakhara near the Assi Ghat in Varanasi to capture the vibes.
I was lucky to be able to present on the day of the finals of Benares Kesri--the local wrestling championship. It was a unique experience watching wrestling matches sitting on the steps of the Assi Ghat among the cheering crowd. The atmosphere was fully charged with the supporters of individual wrestlers egging their favourites on. However, it was quite challenging to photograph the action due to thick crowd and the unpredictable fast-moving action. In the end, I was, happy to come back with a few good shots of the action.
