Indian wrestling in Kolkata

In January 2025 and again in January 2026, I spent some time photographing Indian wrestlers practising traditional wrestling in Kolkata, working with both analogue and digital cameras. I was drawn to the quiet intensity of the place: the earth on the floor, the morning light, the rhythm of training, and the way the wrestlers moved with discipline and focus.

There was nothing theatrical about it. Just bodies at work, repetition, effort, and a strong sense of tradition. The wrestlers trained with a seriousness that felt both physical and almost meditative. I tried to photograph that without getting in the way, paying attention to small gestures as much as to the more obvious moments of strength.

These photographs are not intended to explain the whole world of Indian wrestling. They are simply a record of what I saw during those visits: a few mornings in Kolkata, surrounded by dust, sweat, silence, and concentration.

For me, the experience was a reminder of how much can be found in a place when you spend time observing it carefully.