Again, the awesome Jorge has directed me to this great educational and photo/video-filled blog about Kushti Wrestling: Kushti: Traditional Indian Wrestling. According to the blog’s author:
The purpose of this blog is to raise awareness about the sport and give people inside and outside of India a glimpse of what it is like.
I will definitely be visiting it often. And I will be returning for the articles and not the photos… 😉
Here’s my favorite post from the blog: Washing Up.
I once posted about a short movie clip of Punjabi Kushti*. I claimed it to be The Most Erotically-Charged 1:42 Minutes Of Your Life. Well, how about we top it with The Most Erotically-Charged 2:19 Minutes Of Your Life?
Big thank you to Jorge for directing me to this fantastic video.
* Unfortunately, the video has been removed due to Terms Of Use violation…
Clip from BBC’s Last Man Standing
Chota, Imam-Bux, and Mdrala [OldTimeStrongman]
Blog reader, Jorge, has emailed me some links and photos of Indian wrestlers for whom he had referred to as “chunky.” I can’t describe it any better than that. These beefy Indians are definitely chunky and hunky…
It’s interesting that I just got this email because I just saw Slumdog Millionaire for the 5th time last night. I just have to say that it is my favorite movie of 2008. If I have a Top 10 list, it would be my Number 1 film. It’s that good.
Anyway, I’m probably trying too hard to make a connection about the following Indian wrestlers photos with a film shot in India. However, it’s also a chance for me to ask the Eagle-Eyed Scouts out there — or, rather, Bear-Eyed Scouts — to direct me to the name of that big bearish bodyguard. His character was called “Punnoose” but I think IMDb is incorrect with the actor’s name (Uday Chopra) as he does not look remotely like him.
I am not kidding.
And here are a few more awe-inspiring photos of these beautiful Kushti wrestlers…
[EDIT: Oops, neglected to give credit where credit is due. These photos came from this blog.]
Ever since I discovered the world of Pakistani wrestlers and Pehalwan, I then stumbled upon the world of India’s Kushti Wrestling. Here is a great read on this ancient Indian sport that was recently banned due to hazards* with the red soil. [* I need to research further info on this.]
KOLHAPUR, INDIA – MARCH 22: Indian men practice the three thousand year old sport known as “Kushti”, a form of wrestling, in its traditional form at the fight club Shahupuri in Kolhapur, India. In this south-eastern Indian city Kushti has a long tradition. It used to be supported by local maharajas and is financed by the government. But its days are Last year, the Indian Fighters Federation in the capital of New Delhi stunned thousands of fighters when it announced prohibition of fighting on red soil and ordered fight clubs to buy mattresses for their arenas. Ending the traditional red clay wrestling was an idea sprouted from the aspiration to achieve more Olympic medals since the last and only medal India brought home in wrestling was a bronze in 1952. So far no one here in Kolhapur is buying the mattresses and instead they continue the rigorous schedule of waking up at 3:30am six times a week and practicing more than 6 hours every day. They live together in one small room above the arena and their only belongings are a blanket, a few items of clothes and some books about the art of Kushti. They have been compared to holy men because of their celibacy and dedication and they practice exercises like standing on one’s head for lengths of time to expel “filthy” thoughts. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
[SOURCE: Amy Vitale: Kushti Wrestling]
The photos I’ve posted here are from an amazing photographer named Ami Vitale. She managed to perfectly capture the sublime beauty of these fighters in their natural element.
