Rooted in the earth India s traditional mud wrestling thrives

KOLHAPUR, India – Crowds cheer as muscular men in tight loincloths slap sacred scented soil on their bulging thighs and arms for a mud-wrestling bout in India.

“When we fight, we sweat,” said 33-year-old Mauli Jamdade, a wrestling star in Maharashtra state, rubbing red-brown earth onto his body for each clash.

“The mud gives us grip and helps us grapple better.”

Unlike conventional wrestling matches played on mats with regulated draws, India’s mud wrestling is rawer – but has been the training ground for Olympic success.

This style of wrestling, known as “kushti” or “dangal”, has millennia-old roots but emerged during the period of India’s Mughal rulers in the 16th century, blending traditional hand-to-hand combat with Persian martial arts.

There are no blows or kicking, but plenty of throws to the ground, and it remains hugely popular.

It took Mr Jamdade over 15 minutes to defeat his rival, starting with a slow circling dance, then twisting, turning and locking arms, before he pinned him down.

The bout ends when one wrestler pins his opponent’s back to the mud, irrespective of how long it takes.

From mud into the Olympics

Both men and women Indian wrestlers have won medals at the Olympics and Commonwealth Games in the more regulated form of the sport.

But it is the mud, not mat, version that is popular in swathes of rural areas – with supporters saying it is not just a spectacle but a tradition that many want to uphold.

Bank cashier Anil Harale ended his wrestling career after injuring his leg, but after work, he still slips out of his office clothes for a dirty wrestle.

“I miss it,” said the 46-year-old, who hopes his “unfulfilled dream” will be realised by his teenage son, an aspiring wrestler.

Wrestler K.D. Jadhav, who took bronze