History
Kushti, or pehlwani, is the traditional wrestling of India and Pakistan, a mix of ancient Indian wrestling (malla-yuddha) and Persian styles brought under the Mughals. Wrestlers train in akharas, pits of soft clay mixed with oil, buttermilk and turmeric.
Training is a whole way of life, with thousands of squats and push-ups a day, a special diet and devotion to Hanuman, the patron god of wrestlers. A bout is won by pinning both shoulders to the ground.