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Akaada (kushti), originally uploaded by masaala chai.

An akhada or akharha is a traditional place for wrestlers of India to practice or to have duels with other wrestlers.

Pehlwani (Urdu پہلوانی, Hindi: पहलवानी), or Kushti (Urdu کشتی, Hindi: कुश्ती), which comes from the Persian word of Pahlavani (پہلوانی) and Koshti (کشتی), is a South Asian form of wrestling that is played predominantly in Pakistan and India as well as in Iran and Bangladesh. It is a synthesis of an indigenous form of wrestling that dates back at least to the 5th century BC [1] and a Persian form of wrestling brought into South Asia by the Mughals.[2]

A practitioner of this sport is referred to as a Pehlwan (also spelled Pahlavân in Persian, Champion, literally "a Parthian [disambiguation needed]"). Generally speaking, Muslim teachers of wrestling are known as Ustaad, whilst Hindu teachers are known as Guru.[2]