"Soil is our Mother"

In an age when technology has infiltrated every aspect of life, including sports, traditional Indian wrestling resists the modern way of training and adopts a monastic lifestyle

The traditional form of wrestling known as kushti dates back thousands of years and holds a special place in India’s sporting culture.

Hundreds of young men and teenagers from mostly poor rural areas move to the city of Kolhapur every year with the goal of becoming kushti champions. Doing so will bring prestige, fame and money – but it’s an arduous journey.

The wrestlers train for years several hours a day, seven days a week, in tough conditions.
Once warmed up, they dive into the sunken pit and practice kushti, a traditional and popular form of wrestling played on red soil mixed with a number of ingredients – from camphor, coconut milk and turmeric to ghee, lemon juice and herbs.

Sharing tiny spaces, they all cook together in groups and sleep on the floor. United by their shared dream, they forge deep bonds that transcend the boundaries of a wrestling pit.

(The photo series "Soil is our Mother" is the culmination of a three-month journey that started in early 2023. It is part of a wider project that also includes a documentary film that is currently in post-production).