Red Earth & Iron Will: Inside the Sacred Mud Akharas of Varanasi

While the rest of Varanasi is just rubbing the sleep from its eyes, a distinct rhythm echoes from the riverside courtyards of Tulsi Ghat at 5:30 AM: the rhythmic thud of bare feet on soft earth, the metallic clatter of heavy chains, and the guttural grunts of men grappling in a pit of crimson clay.

This is an akhara—a traditional Indian wrestling school where practitioners of Kushti (traditional pehlwani wrestling) preserve a physical and spiritual discipline that dates back more than three thousand years to the age of the Mahabharata.

The Legacy of Goswami Tulsidas

The most famous wrestling fraternity in Varanasi is the Swaminath Akhara at Tulsi Ghat. According to historical records, this akhara was founded in the 16th century by the saint-poet Goswami Tulsidas, who translated the Sanskrit Ramayana into the vernacular Awadhi Ramcharitmanas and composed the immortal Hanuman Chalisa.

Recognizing that a society requires not only spiritual depth but physical vitality and self-defense, Tulsidas encouraged youth to train their bodies as temples dedicated to Lord Hanuman, the deity of boundless strength, discipline, and devotion.

The Secret of the Sacred Soil: Prepared Like Medicine

Unlike modern Olympic wrestling mats made of synthetic vinyl, Kushti is practiced in a sunken pit of soft, fine earth called the mitti. But this is no ordinary dirt. The preparation of the wrestling pit is a sacred culinary and medicinal art:

• Natural Ingredients: Pure river clay is sifted to remove stones, then blended with cold-pressed mustard oil, turmeric, fresh buttermilk, crushed red rose water, and camphor.
• Healing Properties: This unique mixture possesses natural antiseptic, cooling, and skin-healing properties. Cuts and scrapes sustained during grappling heal remarkably fast, and the mud prevents sweat from causing skin infections in the humid Gangetic heat.
• Daily Consecration: Before stepping into the pit, every wrestler bows down, touches the clay to his forehead with deep reverence, and offers marigold garlands and incense to the small orange idol of Lord Hanuman overlooking the arena.

The Lifestyle of a Pehlwan: Discipline, Ghee & Celibacy

To be a traditional Pehlwan is not a hobby; it is a sacred monastic vow (Brahmacharya). The daily regimen is uncompromising:

1. The Morning Gauntlet: Pehlwans perform hundreds of dands (diving Hindu push-ups) and baithaks (deep squats), followed by swinging heavy stone-headed clubs called Gada (maces) weighing between 10 and 40 kilograms to build invincible shoulder and core power.
2. Grappling in the Clay: Pairs grapple in the pit under the watchful eye of the Ustad (master teacher), learning centuries-old locks, throws, and counter-attacks.
3. The Diet of Champions: Strictly vegetarian and devoid of alcohol, tobacco, or processed food. A pehlwan consumes several liters of pure cow’s milk daily, homemade ghee, soaked sprouted chickpeas (chana), and Badam Thandai—a rich restorative drink made of crushed almonds, saffron, and fennel seeds.

"In the akhara, you cannot have an ego. The earth teaches you humility every day. When your opponent throws you into the mud, you rise, touch his feet, rub more clay on your body, and grapple again." — Ustad Ramji, Tulsi Ghat

Visiting an Akhara as a Traveler

Visitors are welcome to witness morning practice at Tulsi Ghat Akhara with quiet respect:

• Timing: Arrive between 6:00 AM and 7:30 AM, when active sparring and mace swinging are in full swing.
• Etiquette: Remove your shoes outside the courtyard. Never step into the clay wrestling pit without the master’s explicit invitation, as the soil is consecrated.
• Donations: A small voluntary contribution to the temple donation box helps the akhara maintain the soil and support young wrestlers from underprivileged families.