Kushti is a traditional form of Indian wrestling, in fact it is more than traditional wrestling, it is a lifestyle that requires rigorous discipline. In the past, wrestlers lived in Akhars (practice areas) and adhered to a strict diet and an ascetic daily schedule consisting only of practice and prayers. The fighting arena is considered a temple area. It is impossible to enter it with shoes on, and before each fight, or practice, a prayer is said to Hanuman, the monkey god, the patron saint of wrestlers.
