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  • The small arena brings young men from different castes together whereas they might never interact in the real world. The ancient tradition of Indian wrestling, known as  kushti, thrives in Varanasi, one of the world's oldest cities. Wrestling gyms, or akhara, scattered around the city are of the few places where Hindu men from different casts are considered equals. Aside from bodybuilding, practiioners emphasize a life of discipline and celibacy. But as modernity sweeps India and Western sports like cricket become more popular, some akhara are being abandoned. While some prominent, government-run gyms switched to mats for Olympic-style wrestling, akhara in villages and towns maintain the old ways.
    kushti-indian-wrestling-04.jpg
  • A professional wrestling coach from the city's Olympic-style gym visits to help train for an upcoming tournament. He is revered as a wise man and the men touch his feet when he enters as a sign of respect. The ancient tradition of Indian wrestling, known as  kushti, thrives in Varanasi, one of the world's oldest cities. Wrestling gyms, or akhara, scattered around the city are of the few places where Hindu men from different casts are considered equals. Aside from bodybuilding, practiioners emphasize a life of discipline and celibacy. But as modernity sweeps India and Western sports like cricket become more popular, some akhara are being abandoned. While some prominent, government-run gyms switched to mats for Olympic-style wrestling, akhara in villages and towns maintain the old ways.
    kushti-indian-wrestling-06.jpg
  • Some men and boys climb nearby trees for a better view of the fights. The ancient tradition of Indian wrestling, known as  kushti, thrives in Varanasi, one of the world's oldest cities. Wrestling gyms, or akhara, scattered around the city are of the few places where Hindu men from different casts are considered equals. Aside from bodybuilding, practiioners emphasize a life of discipline and celibacy. But as modernity sweeps India and Western sports like cricket become more popular, some akhara are being abandoned. While some prominent, government-run gyms switched to mats for Olympic-style wrestling, akhara in villages and towns maintain the old ways.
    kushti-indian-wrestling-13.jpg
  • A constant flow of matches overlap, keeping the audience engaged. The ancient tradition of Indian wrestling, known as  kushti, thrives in Varanasi, one of the world's oldest cities. Wrestling gyms, or akhara, scattered around the city are of the few places where Hindu men from different casts are considered equals. Aside from bodybuilding, practiioners emphasize a life of discipline and celibacy. But as modernity sweeps India and Western sports like cricket become more popular, some akhara are being abandoned. While some prominent, government-run gyms switched to mats for Olympic-style wrestling, akhara in villages and towns maintain the old ways.
    kushti-indian-wrestling-10.jpg
  • The ancient tradition of Indian wrestling, known as  kushti, thrives in Varanasi, one of the world's oldest cities. Wrestling gyms, or akhara, scattered around the city are of the few places where Hindu men from different casts are considered equals. Aside from bodybuilding, practiioners emphasize a life of discipline and celibacy. But as modernity sweeps India and Western sports like cricket become more popular, some akhara are being abandoned. While some prominent, government-run gyms switched to mats for Olympic-style wrestling, akhara in villages and towns maintain the old ways.
    kushti-indian-wrestling-01.jpg
  • After a training session, the wrestlers take a dip in the holy Ganges river to wash off the dirt and pay tribute to the gods. The sport and its religious observance are deeply woven. Each akhara has its own shrine for the warrior god Hanuman. The ancient tradition of Indian wrestling, known as  kushti, thrives in Varanasi, one of the world's oldest cities. Wrestling gyms, or akhara, scattered around the city are of the few places where Hindu men from different casts are considered equals. Aside from bodybuilding, practiioners emphasize a life of discipline and celibacy. But as modernity sweeps India and Western sports like cricket become more popular, some akhara are being abandoned. While some prominent, government-run gyms switched to mats for Olympic-style wrestling, akhara in villages and towns maintain the old ways.
    kushti-indian-wrestling-15.jpg
  • The fighters give in after an exhausting few minutes of grappling. The ancient tradition of Indian wrestling, known as  kushti, thrives in Varanasi, one of the world's oldest cities. Wrestling gyms, or akhara, scattered around the city are of the few places where Hindu men from different casts are considered equals. Aside from bodybuilding, practiioners emphasize a life of discipline and celibacy. But as modernity sweeps India and Western sports like cricket become more popular, some akhara are being abandoned. While some prominent, government-run gyms switched to mats for Olympic-style wrestling, akhara in villages and towns maintain the old ways.
    kushti-indian-wrestling-12.jpg
  • Hundreds of men crowd together in a village field outside Varanasi for a local tournament. A commentator announces the contestants as well as honored guests - former champion wrestlers. The ancient tradition of Indian wrestling, known as  kushti, thrives in Varanasi, one of the world's oldest cities. Wrestling gyms, or akhara, scattered around the city are of the few places where Hindu men from different casts are considered equals. Aside from bodybuilding, practiioners emphasize a life of discipline and celibacy. But as modernity sweeps India and Western sports like cricket become more popular, some akhara are being abandoned. While some prominent, government-run gyms switched to mats for Olympic-style wrestling, akhara in villages and towns maintain the old ways.
    kushti-indian-wrestling-08.jpg
  • Using the soil to reduce impact and improve movement, wrestlers intertwine their bodies in complex techniques. Behind them, a shrine for the Hindu warrior god Hanuman, which they pray to before stepping onto the sacred arena. The ancient tradition of Indian wrestling, known as  kushti, thrives in Varanasi, one of the world's oldest cities. Wrestling gyms, or akhara, scattered around the city are of the few places where Hindu men from different casts are considered equals. Aside from bodybuilding, practiioners emphasize a life of discipline and celibacy. But as modernity sweeps India and Western sports like cricket become more popular, some akhara are being abandoned. While some prominent, government-run gyms switched to mats for Olympic-style wrestling, akhara in villages and towns maintain the old ways.
    kushti-indian-wrestling-03.jpg
  • Wrestlers at an akhara near the Ganges river in Varanasi prepare the soil for a morning practice. The process itself is rigorous, where men take turn hauling each other on a plow. The ancient tradition of Indian wrestling, known as  kushti, thrives in Varanasi, one of the world's oldest cities. Wrestling gyms, or akhara, scattered around the city are of the few places where Hindu men from different casts are considered equals. Aside from bodybuilding, practiioners emphasize a life of discipline and celibacy. But as modernity sweeps India and Western sports like cricket become more popular, some akhara are being abandoned. While some prominent, government-run gyms switched to mats for Olympic-style wrestling, akhara in villages and towns maintain the old ways.
    kushti-indian-wrestling-02.jpg
  • The ancient tradition of Indian wrestling, known as  kushti, thrives in Varanasi, one of the world's oldest cities. Wrestling gyms, or akhara, scattered around the city are of the few places where Hindu men from different casts are considered equals. Aside from bodybuilding, practiioners emphasize a life of discipline and celibacy. But as modernity sweeps India and Western sports like cricket become more popular, some akhara are being abandoned. While some prominent, government-run gyms switched to mats for Olympic-style wrestling, akhara in villages and towns maintain the old ways.
    kushti-indian-wrestling-11.jpg
  • The ancient tradition of Indian wrestling, known as  kushti, thrives in Varanasi, one of the world's oldest cities. Wrestling gyms, or akhara, scattered around the city are of the few places where Hindu men from different casts are considered equals. Aside from bodybuilding, practiioners emphasize a life of discipline and celibacy. But as modernity sweeps India and Western sports like cricket become more popular, some akhara are being abandoned. While some prominent, government-run gyms switched to mats for Olympic-style wrestling, akhara in villages and towns maintain the old ways.
    kushti-indian-wrestling-09.jpg
  • The ancient tradition of Indian wrestling, known as  kushti, thrives in Varanasi, one of the world's oldest cities. Wrestling gyms, or akhara, scattered around the city are of the few places where Hindu men from different casts are considered equals. Aside from bodybuilding, practiioners emphasize a life of discipline and celibacy. But as modernity sweeps India and Western sports like cricket become more popular, some akhara are being abandoned. While some prominent, government-run gyms switched to mats for Olympic-style wrestling, akhara in villages and towns maintain the old ways.
    kushti-indian-wrestling-07.jpg
  • The ancient tradition of Indian wrestling, known as  kushti, thrives in Varanasi, one of the world's oldest cities. Wrestling gyms, or akhara, scattered around the city are of the few places where Hindu men from different casts are considered equals. Aside from bodybuilding, practiioners emphasize a life of discipline and celibacy. But as modernity sweeps India and Western sports like cricket become more popular, some akhara are being abandoned. While some prominent, government-run gyms switched to mats for Olympic-style wrestling, akhara in villages and towns maintain the old ways.
    kushti-indian-wrestling-14.jpg
  • The ancient tradition of Indian wrestling, known as  kushti, thrives in Varanasi, one of the world's oldest cities. Wrestling gyms, or akhara, scattered around the city are of the few places where Hindu men from different casts are considered equals. Aside from bodybuilding, practiioners emphasize a life of discipline and celibacy. But as modernity sweeps India and Western sports like cricket become more popular, some akhara are being abandoned. While some prominent, government-run gyms switched to mats for Olympic-style wrestling, akhara in villages and towns maintain the old ways.
    kushti-indian-wrestling-05.jpg
  • The ancient tradition of Indian wrestling, known as  kushti, thrives in Varanasi, one of the world's oldest cities. Wrestling gyms, or akhara, scattered around the city are of the few places where Hindu men from different casts are considered equals. Aside from bodybuilding, practiioners emphasize a life of discipline and celibacy. But as modernity sweeps India and Western sports like cricket become more popular, some akhara are being abandoned. While some prominent, government-run gyms switched to mats for Olympic-style wrestling, akhara in villages and towns maintain the old ways.
    kushti-indian-wrestling-20.JPG
  • The ancient tradition of Indian wrestling, known as  kushti, thrives in Varanasi, one of the world's oldest cities. Wrestling gyms, or akhara, scattered around the city are of the few places where Hindu men from different casts are considered equals. Aside from bodybuilding, practiioners emphasize a life of discipline and celibacy. But as modernity sweeps India and Western sports like cricket become more popular, some akhara are being abandoned. While some prominent, government-run gyms switched to mats for Olympic-style wrestling, akhara in villages and towns maintain the old ways.
    kushti-indian-wrestling-22.JPG
  • The ancient tradition of Indian wrestling, known as  kushti, thrives in Varanasi, one of the world's oldest cities. Wrestling gyms, or akhara, scattered around the city are of the few places where Hindu men from different casts are considered equals. Aside from bodybuilding, practiioners emphasize a life of discipline and celibacy. But as modernity sweeps India and Western sports like cricket become more popular, some akhara are being abandoned. While some prominent, government-run gyms switched to mats for Olympic-style wrestling, akhara in villages and towns maintain the old ways.
    kushti-indian-wrestling-19.JPG
  • The ancient tradition of Indian wrestling, known as  kushti, thrives in Varanasi, one of the world's oldest cities. Wrestling gyms, or akhara, scattered around the city are of the few places where Hindu men from different casts are considered equals. Aside from bodybuilding, practiioners emphasize a life of discipline and celibacy. But as modernity sweeps India and Western sports like cricket become more popular, some akhara are being abandoned. While some prominent, government-run gyms switched to mats for Olympic-style wrestling, akhara in villages and towns maintain the old ways.
    kushti-indian-wrestling-16.JPG
  • The ancient tradition of Indian wrestling, known as  kushti, thrives in Varanasi, one of the world's oldest cities. Wrestling gyms, or akhara, scattered around the city are of the few places where Hindu men from different casts are considered equals. Aside from bodybuilding, practiioners emphasize a life of discipline and celibacy. But as modernity sweeps India and Western sports like cricket become more popular, some akhara are being abandoned. While some prominent, government-run gyms switched to mats for Olympic-style wrestling, akhara in villages and towns maintain the old ways.
    kushti-indian-wrestling-21.JPG
  • The ancient tradition of Indian wrestling, known as  kushti, thrives in Varanasi, one of the world's oldest cities. Wrestling gyms, or akhara, scattered around the city are of the few places where Hindu men from different casts are considered equals. Aside from bodybuilding, practiioners emphasize a life of discipline and celibacy. But as modernity sweeps India and Western sports like cricket become more popular, some akhara are being abandoned. While some prominent, government-run gyms switched to mats for Olympic-style wrestling, akhara in villages and towns maintain the old ways.
    kushti-indian-wrestling-18.JPG
  • The ancient tradition of Indian wrestling, known as  kushti, thrives in Varanasi, one of the world's oldest cities. Wrestling gyms, or akhara, scattered around the city are of the few places where Hindu men from different casts are considered equals. Aside from bodybuilding, practiioners emphasize a life of discipline and celibacy. But as modernity sweeps India and Western sports like cricket become more popular, some akhara are being abandoned. While some prominent, government-run gyms switched to mats for Olympic-style wrestling, akhara in villages and towns maintain the old ways.
    kushti-indian-wrestling-17.JPG
  • The ancient tradition of Indian wrestling, known as  kushti, thrives in Varanasi, one of the world's oldest cities. Wrestling gyms, or akhara, scattered around the city are of the few places where Hindu men from different casts are considered equals. Aside from bodybuilding, practiioners emphasize a life of discipline and celibacy. But as modernity sweeps India and Western sports like cricket become more popular, some akhara are being abandoned. While some prominent, government-run gyms switched to mats for Olympic-style wrestling, akhara in villages and towns maintain the old ways.
    095_Humor.JPG
  • Submission wrestler and alleged anarchist Jeff "The Snowman" Monson approaches police about their blockade of a major road leading to downtown St. Paul. Thousands of activists protested the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, MN from September 1-4. While some marches were peaceful, others led to violence by both the protesters and riot police.
    101_Humor.JPG
  • Submission wrestler and alleged anarchist Jeff "The Snowman" Monson approaches police about their blockade of a major road leading to downtown St. Paul. Thousands of activists protested the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, MN from September 1-4. While some marches were peaceful, others led to violence by both the protesters and riot police.
    Republican_National_Convention001.jpg
  • RileyKilo, transgender age-player<br />
<br />
Around the time same-sex marriage became legal in New York the idea of complex sexuality seemed to be in the air around me. Fifty Shades of Grey was getting attention, political chatter was everywhere, a dominatrix was interviewed by Terry Gross, and my roommate told me about her fetishist friend studying for a PhD in psychology. Our culture is just beginning to accept sexual identity beyond the traditional male/female roles. This project is a natural response to what I feel is a limited understanding of (or desire to understand) the very complex nature of sexuality in America. I wanted to go further than the "norm" and meet people whose identity is more nuanced than the black and white concepts we are fed daily. <br />
<br />
I started doing research and learned about the vibrant kink community in NYC, including a Facebook-like website called Fetlife.com, which launched in 2008. Not long ago it would have been quite difficult to contact a wide variety of fetishists without scouring the city trying to earn trust. A historically underground community is now meeting online, so I was suddenly granted access to thousands of people that are otherwise hidden. <br />
<br />
The photographs are all taken at the subject's home or personal space. Plenty of documentaries show scenes of sexual deviants at play in dungeons and swinger's clubs, but my intention is to connect the audience to people with different sexual appetites on neutral ground. There may be inherent exoticism in the way some fetishists look, but only because they exist outside of what we perceive as the norm. Many enjoy the anonymity or rebellious culture of fetishes, while others are simply themselves, excited by ideas other than basic sex. By choosing to look at these images I hope people will wrestle with their preconceptions. There are intricacies in our human relationships that kinksters embrace and often exaggerate, giving us a window into pockets of the complex human mind we aren't usually tu
    Fetlife_009.JPG
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DANNY GHITIS

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