"It's dawn in Kolhapur. The streets, still dark, remain deserted while almost the entire city is asleep. There are still a couple of hours to go before the shutters of the shops begin to rise and traffic takes over the streets of this pleasant municipality in the state of Maharashtra, in southeastern India. Ashutosh Patil, however, has been up since 4:00 a.m. The 22-year-old has already begun the first training session of the day."
"He and his teammates are gathered around a pit of reddish earth, barely lit by a dim bulb and presided over by a small altar with the image of the Hanuman, a Hindu deity. Hanuman is considered to be the god of wrestling in India, as he represents strength, courage and self-discipline. Ashutosh and his teammates reside and practice at the Gangavesh Talim, a wrestling academy."
"It was founded by [the king] Shri Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj more than 100 years ago, he adds. Remembered as a progressive ruler who ushered in social reforms and promoted education, art and sports, the monarch built hundreds of talims throughout the city during his 28-year reign, from 1894 to 1922. Legendary talims such as Gangavesh, Sahapur and Motibag are still active from that era, producing great wrestlers."
At dawn in Kolhapur, streets remain deserted while wrestlers begin early training sessions. Ashutosh Patil rises at 4:00 a.m. and trains with teammates at a mud pit beneath a dim bulb beside an altar to Hanuman. Hanuman symbolizes strength, courage and self-discipline and serves as the god of wrestling. Wrestlers live and practice at Gangavesh Talim, a historic kushti training center with basic accommodation and a strict regimen. Kolhapur attracts pilgrims to the Mahalakshmi Temple and also serves as an important center for kushti, with century-old talims founded by Shri Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj producing celebrated wrestlers.
Read at english.elpais.com
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