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  • KOLHAPUR, INDIA - MARCH 22: Indian men practice the three thousand year old sport known as "Kushti", a form of wrestling, in its traditional form at the fight club Shahupuri in Kolhapur, India.  In this south-eastern Indian city Kushti has a long tradition. It used to be supported by local maharajas and is financed by the government. But its days are numbered. Last year, the Indian Fighters Federation in the capital of New Delhi stunned thousands of fighters when it announced prohibition of fighting on red soil and ordered fight clubs to buy mattresses for their arenas. Ending the traditional red clay wrestling was an idea sprouted from the aspiration to achieve more Olympic medals since the last and only medal India brought home in wrestling was a bronze in 1952. So far no one here in Kolhapur is buying the mattresses and instead they continue the rigorous schedule of waking up at 3:30am six times a week and practicing more than 6 hours every day. They live together in one small room above the arena and their only belongings are a blanket, a few items of clothes and some books about the art of Kushti. They have been compared to holy men because of their celibacy and dedication and they practice exercises like standing on one's head for lengths of time to expel "filthy" thoughts. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • PATNA,INDIA, AUGUST 12: Indian children leave school after monsoon rains flooded their classrooms in a village about 100 kilometers from Patna in the state of Bihar, India August 12, 2003. Bihar is the poorest state in India and the monsoon rains have brought severe flooding. There have been 333 deaths in India, 181 in Bangladesh, 112 in Nepal, and 168 in Pakistan and millions are homeless across the subcontinent. .(Photo by Ami Vitale/Getty Images)
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  • PATNA,INDIA, AUGUST 12: Indian children leave school after monsoon rains flooded their classrooms in a village about 100 kilometers from Patna in the state of Bihar, India August 12, 2003. Bihar is the poorest state in India and the monsoon rains have brought severe flooding. There have been 333 deaths in India, 181 in Bangladesh, 112 in Nepal, and 168 in Pakistan and millions are homeless across the subcontinent. .(Photo by Ami Vitale/Getty Images)
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  • Villagers, many of whom lost their homes, crops, and even a man who was killed by elephants perform a "puja" or holy ceremony to the Hindu God Lord Ganesha who is half human and half elephant to ask him to protect the village from real elephants coming back and causing more destruction  near Tezpur in Assam, eastern India January 6, 2004.  Villagers have been forced to stay up lighting fires, banging tin cans, throwing firecrackers to keep elephants from destroying their crops, homes and somtimes killing people. India and its sacred elephants are threatened by the deforestation caused by encroachment of the reserved land and natural forests.  As a result, wild elephants are rampaging through villages, killing people and destroying their homes and crops. (Ami Vitale)

    Elephants046.jpg
  • Indian Forest rangers take a man accused of murder and illegal logging back to the murder scene in Sonitpur district in Assam, eastern India  December 29,2003.   India and its elephants are threatened by deforestation because of encroachment of the reserved land and natural forests.  As a result, wild elephants are rampaging through villages, killing people and destroying their homes and crops. (Ami Vitale)
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  • Children who were forced to migrate from their home in Pargwal, India cool off  as a truck sprays water on them near Ahknoor in the Indian held state of Jammu and Kashmir. Indian and Pakistani troops continue to exchange heavy mortar, artillery and machine-gun fire along the line that divides Kashmir between them. India is pressing Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to crack down on the flow of Muslim militants from Pakistan into Kashmir.
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  • AKHNOOR, INDIA, FEB. 24, 2004:  A Hindu man carries his child in a bucket to entertain her while he collects water for cooking at a migrant camp near Akhnoor, India  February 24, 2004.  The family has been living in a tent for the last 5 years  after they fled their village  on the Line of Control because of shelling from Pakistan.  Most would like to return to their homes but even with the recent thaw and talk of peace, few here seem convinced they will be returning any time soon.
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  • A survivor of the tsunamis that ravaged the coast of India and Asia sits where her house once stood with all that she could salvage from the wreckage January 5, 2005 in Nagapattinum in the state of Tamil Nadu. The official death toll in India  has reached about 15,000 people and the total dead is over 150,000 in the 11 nations that were hit. (Ami Vitale)
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  • Praviti cries outside the remains of her home after she lost 2 relatives in the deadly tsunamis that ravaged the coast of India and Asia January 5, 2005 in Cuddalore in the state of Tamil Nadu. 15,000 people died in India alone and hundreds of thousand were made homeless. (Ami Vitale)
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  • Nagapattinum, India:Jan 25:Anand, 14 years old, who lost his mother in the tsunami stands on a beach holding onto a cross  in Nagapattinum, Tami Nadu, India January 25, 2005.  Many fishermen are drinking heavily and spending all their money doled out by the government  as rumours swirl that another bigger killer wave will batter the region on January 26 and completely wash away everything that remains.(Ami vitale)
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  • Nagapattinum, India:Jan 25:Displaced  fishermen clean up the battered harbors in their village in Nagapattinum, Tami Nadu, India January 25, 2005.  Many fishermen are drinking heavily and spending all their money doled out by the government  as rumours swirl that another bigger killer wave will batter the region on January 26 and completely wash away everything that remains.(Ami vitale)
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  • Relics from a  puja ceremony to Hindu Gods including Ganesh, the half human-half elephant God sit on the banks of a river in Tezpur, in Assam, eastern India December 25, 2003. India and its sacred elephants are threatened by deforestation and encroachment of the reserved land and natural forests.  As a result, wild elephants are rampaging through villages, killing people and destroying their homes and crops but still people revere the elephants. (Ami Vitale)
    Elephants051.jpg
  • Villagers who lost their homes to elephants wake up on the floor of a neighbors house  near Tezpur in Assam, eastern India January 6, 2004.  Villagers have been forced to stay up lighting fires, banging tin cans, throwing firecrackers to keep elephants from destroying their crops, homes and somtimes killing people. India and its sacred elephants are threatened by the deforestation caused by encroachment of the reserved land and natural forests.  As a result, wild elephants are rampaging through villages, killing people and destroying their homes and crops. (Ami Vitale)

    Elephants042.jpg
  • 2927309: JODPHUR, INDIA, FEB. 10, 2004: Indian Border Security Force constables perform their morning duties at a training center in Jodphur, India February 10,2004.  The constables train camels who are able to survive the harsh conditions in the desert region of Rajasthan and along the border with Pakistan. India and Pakistan have fought three wars that date back to the partition of the British Indian Empire  in 1947 but are now warming up to eachother and will have peace talks this month. (Ami Vitale/Getty Images)
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  • 2927309: JODPHUR, INDIA, FEB. 10, 2004: Indian Border Security Force constables perform their morning duties at a training center in Jodphur, India February 10,2004.  The constables train camels who are able to survive the harsh conditions in the desert region of Rajasthan and along the border with Pakistan. India and Pakistan have fought three wars that date back to the partition of the British Indian Empire  in 1947 but are now warming up to eachother and will have peace talks this month. (Ami Vitale)
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  • Villagers who lost their homes to elephants wake up on the floor of a neighbors house  near Tezpur in Assam, eastern India January 6, 2004.  Villagers have been forced to stay up lighting fires, banging tin cans, throwing firecrackers to keep elephants from destroying their crops, homes and somtimes killing people. India and its sacred elephants are threatened by the deforestation caused by encroachment of the reserved land and natural forests.  As a result, wild elephants are rampaging through villages, killing people and destroying their homes and crops. (Ami Vitale) 

    Elephants034.jpg
  • Villagers who lost their homes to elephants wake up on the floor of a neighbors house  near Tezpur in Assam, eastern India January 6, 2004.  Villagers have been forced to stay up lighting fires, banging tin cans, throwing firecrackers to keep elephants from destroying their crops, homes and somtimes killing people. India and its sacred elephants are threatened by the deforestation caused by encroachment of the reserved land and natural forests.  As a result, wild elephants are rampaging through villages, killing people and destroying their homes and crops. (Ami Vitale)

    Elephants033.jpg
  • A man waits to sell food to fishing families from New beach in Nagapattinum district in Tamil Nadu, India get as they take part in the unique ritual of reliving the day when Athi Baktha Nayanar found a gold fish in the ocean, offered it to his God and received "moksha", September 2,2005. Villagers worship this God who is know to be the God of the Sea and the 49th nayanmar. The yearly ritual symbolizes an unwavering  pious man who always offered his daily catch to his God first, even when people in his village were starving. The ritual had been stopped for 25 years and many fishermen believed this is why the tsunami ravaged the coast of India.  (Ami Vitale)
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  • A Hindu pilgrim worshipping Lord Shiva and the God of the Sea joins hundreds of fishing families from New beach in Nagapattinum district in Tamil Nadu, India as they take part in the unique ritual of reliving the day when Athi Baktha Nayanar found a gold fish in the ocean, offered it to his God and received "moksha", September 2,2005. Villagers worship this God who is know to be the God of the Sea and the 49th nayanmar. The yearly ritual symbolizes an unwavering  pious man who always offered his daily catch to his God first, even when people in his village were starving. The ritual had been stopped for 25 years and many fishermen believed this is why the tsunami ravaged the coast of India.  (Ami Vitale)
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  • Holy men and fishing families from New beach in Nagapattinum district in Tamil Nadu, India carry an idol of the God of the Sea, Athi Baktha Navanar from the ocean as they take part in the unique ritual of reliving the day when Athi Baktha Nayanar found a gold fish in the ocean, offered it to his God and received "moksha", September 2,2005. Villagers worship this God who is know to be the God of the Sea and the 49th nayanmar. The yearly ritual symbolizes an unwavering  pious man who always offered his daily catch to his God first, even when people in his village were starving. The ritual had been stopped for 25 years and many fishermen believed this is why the tsunami ravaged the coast of India.  (Ami Vitale)
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  • Fishing families and holy men from New beach in Nagapattinum district in Tamil Nadu, India  take part in the unique ritual of reliving the day when Athi Baktha Nayanar found a gold fish in the ocean, offered it to his God and received "moksha", September 2,2005. Villagers worship this God who is know to be the God of the Sea and the 49th nayanmar. The yearly ritual symbolizes an unwavering  pious man who always offered his daily catch to his God first, even when people in his village were starving. The ritual had been stopped for 25 years and many fishermen believed this is why the tsunami ravaged the coast of India.  (Ami Vitale)
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  • Fishing families from New beach in Nagapattinum district in Tamil Nadu, India take part in the unique ritual of reliving the day when Athi Baktha Nayanar found a gold fish in the ocean, offered it to his God and received "moksha", September 2,2005. Villagers worship this God who is know to be the God of the Sea and the 49th nayanmar. The yearly ritual symbolizes an unwavering  pious man who always offered his daily catch to his God first, even when people in his village were starving. The ritual had been stopped for 25 years and many fishermen believed this is why the tsunami ravaged the coast of India.  (Ami Vitale)
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  • Gowindra, 19, has the "thali" a necklance symbolizing her marriage tied around her neck by her husband during the wedding in Nagapattinum district in Tamil Nadu, India  eight months since the deadly tsunami killed thousands August  29, 2005. Both she and her husband's family both lost relatives, their homes and livelihoods in the wave and must live in the temporary shelters after the ceremony. Hundreds of "tsunami weddings" have taken place since December as families received huge amounts of money for their deceased relatives and wished to make allegiances with other families who received money. In India, the girls family must pay a dowry and Gowindra had to pay a staggering 200,000 rupees, nearly $5000 in a community that survives off an average $1 per day. Elaborate and ostentatious wedding functions have become normal fare for those victims of the tsunami who suddenly were given the huge sums of money and alcohol sales have jumped 300 percent.  The recovery process is slow and the situation still grim for many of the worlds poorest who were most affected by the deadly wave.  (Ami Vitale)
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  • EKANGERSERAI, BIHAR: AUGUST 11:Indian children leave Middle School Ekangerserai school after monsoon rains flood their classrooms in a village about 100 kilometers from Patna in the state of Bihar, India August 11, 2003.  Bihar is the poorest state in India and girls often suffer the most because of the poverty, lack of education and opportunities. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • EKANGERSERAI, BIHAR: AUGUST 11: Indian children wait for class to begin after lunch at Middle School Ekangerserai school.  Monsoon rains flooded the classrooms in this village about 100 kilometers from Patna in the state of Bihar, India August 11, 2003.  Bihar is the poorest state in India and girls often suffer the most because of the poverty, lack of education and opportunities. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • MADHOPUR, BIHAR: AUGUST 11:Villagers watch as a group of girls study under the thatch roof of an open hut at the Kishori Kendra Madhopur  in a village about 100 kilometers from Patna in the state of Bihar, India August 11, 2003.  Bihar is the poorest state in India and girls often suffer the most because of the poverty, lack of education and opportunities. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • Jama Masjid-Muslims come to the largest mosque in India, the Jami Masjid ,to pray for the first day of Ramadan  Saturday, November 17, 2001 in Old Delhi, India.  (Ami Vitale/Getty Images)
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  • 2927309: JAISALMER, INDIA, FEB. 6, 2004: Rajasthani camel owners look for customers to give rides to at sunset on the last day of the Desert Festival  that culminated in the picturesque Sam dunes near Jaisalmer, India February 6,2004. Thousands of locals, Indians and several hundred foreigners showed up for the event. (Ami Vitale/Getty Images)
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  • Fishing families from New beach in Nagapattinum district in Tamil Nadu, India  take part in the unique ritual of reliving the day when Athi Baktha Nayanar found a gold fish in the ocean, offered it to his God and received "moksha", September 2,2005. Villagers worship this God who is know to be the God of the Sea and the 49th nayanmar. The yearly ritual symbolizes an unwavering  pious man who always offered his daily catch to his God first, even when people in his village were starving. The ritual had been stopped for 25 years and many fishermen believed this is why the tsunami ravaged the coast of India.  (Ami Vitale)
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  • Gowindra, 19, prepares for her wedding in Nagapattinum district in Tamil Nadu, India  eight months since the deadly tsunami killed thousands August  29, 2005. Both she and her husband's family both lost relatives, their homes and livelihoods in the wave and must live in the temporary shelters after the ceremony. Hundreds of "tsunami weddings" have taken place since December as families received huge amounts of money for their deceased relatives and wished to make allegiances with other families who received money. In India, the girls family must pay a dowry and Gowindra had to pay a staggering 200,000 rupees, nealry $5000 in a community that survives off an average $1 per day.  The recovery process is slow and the situation still grim for many of the worlds poorest who were most affected by the deadly wave.  (Ami Vitale)
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  • EKANGERSERAI, BIHAR: AUGUST 11:Indian children leave Middle School Ekangerserai school after monsoon rains flood their classrooms in a village about 100 kilometers from Patna in the state of Bihar, India August 11, 2003.  Bihar is the poorest state in India and girls often suffer the most because of the poverty, lack of education and opportunities. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • 2927309: JAISALMER, INDIA, FEB. 6, 2004: Rajasthani tourists watch Indian paratroopers jump out of a helicopter on the last day of the Desert Festival  that culminated in the picturesque Sam dunes near Jaisalmer, India February 6,2004. Thousands of locals, Indians and several hundred foreigners showed up for the event. (Ami Vitale/Getty Images)
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  • Jama Masjid-Muslims come to the largest mosque in India, the Jami Masjid ,to pray for the first day of Ramadan  Saturday, November 17, 2001 in Old Delhi, India.  (Ami Vitale/Getty Images)
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  • LEH, KASHMIR, INDIA, MAY 8, 2004: A Ladakhi child who is studying to become a monk plays outside Thiksey Monastaryon the eve of the last round of elections in the mountainous region of Leh, Ladakh in the Indian held state of Jammu and Kashmir, May 8, 2004.   (Ami Vitale/Getty Images)
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  • SRINAGAR, INDIA, MARCH 2, 2004:A Kashmiri Shiite Muslim holds his blood stained hands to his chest after flagellating himself in a procession in Srinagar, India March 2, 2004. Shiite Muslims all over the world  are mourning the slaying of Imam Hussain, grandson of the Prophet Mohammed who was killed by his political rivals along with 72 companions some 1300 years ago in Iran during the first month of the Islamic calender, called Muharram.
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  • SRINAGAR, KASHMIR,INDIA, MARCH 20, 2004:Bilkees Manzoor, an eighteen-year-old girl whose father was taken away by Indian security forces in January 2002 and never returned, argues with Jammu and Kashmir police to allow them to march to the United Nations compound in the name of the the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP)  in Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian held Jammu and Kashmir state in India, March 20, 2004. At least a dozen people were wounded when police used batons to disperse hundreds of protestors. APDP says more than six thousand people have gone missing since the bloody revolt erupted in Kashmir.
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  • Hindus wash after making prayers to Lord Shiva at the river Saruj in the northern Indian city of Ayodhya at sunrise March 12, 2002. Today is Shiva Ratri, a holiday to honor Lord Shiva when he was married. There is a quiet but tense atmosphere as the country waits to see what India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) will do to  to cool tensions between Muslims and Hindus . The BJP, which heads the coalition government, is under pressure to rein in its erstwhile hard-line Hindu allies -- whose plans to build a temple on March 15 near the site of a razed mosque are helping to fuel the tensions.  (Ami Vitale/Getty Images)
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  • Kashmiri's walk in the famous Moghul gardens in Srinagar, the summer capital of the Indian held state of Jammu and Kashmir. Despite the heightening tensions and increasing threat of a full fledged war along the border between Pakistan and India, people here try to enjoy the moment and beauty of this valley located at the base of the Himalayas. (Ami Vitale
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  • An Indian soldier waits after a rocket and grenades were launched at armed militants who infiltrated the Poonch district of Jammu and were hiding in a villagers house along the Line of Control between Pakistan and India Friday, November 2, 2001. The militants were allegedly crossing the border to fight for the jihad in Kashmir. (Getty Images/Ami Vitale)
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  • A "puja" or religious ceremony is begun by Hindu religious leaders in the northern Indian city of Ayodhya in preparation for the building of a temple March 11, 2002. There is a quiet but tense atmosphere as the country waits to see what India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) will do to  to cool tensions between Muslims and Hindus . The BJP, which heads the coalition government, is under pressure to rein in the hard-line Hindu allies  who plan to build a temple on March 15 near the site of a razed mosque.  . (Ami Vitale/Getty Images)
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  • The Ganges river is shown in the early morning fog December 10, 2001 in Varanasi, India.  The late George Harrison, a longtime devotee of Hinduism, reportedly left over a million dollars to build a temple in the holy city of Varanasi  according to Hare Krishna devotees. The news came as hundreds of Harrison fans still waited expectantly by the banks of the River Ganges for his ashes to arrive, amid confusion on how they were to be scattered. (Ami Vitale/Getty Images)
    var102.jpg
  • The Ganges river is shown in the early morning fog December 10, 2001 in Varanasi, India.  The late George Harrison, a longtime devotee of Hinduism, reportedly left over a million dollars to build a temple in the holy city of Varanasi  according to Hare Krishna devotees. The news came as hundreds of Harrison fans still waited expectantly by the banks of the River Ganges for his ashes to arrive, amid confusion on how they were to be scattered. (Ami Vitale/Getty Images)
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  • Indians bathe in the holy Ganges river December 9, 2001 in Varanasi, India.  The late George Harrison, a longtime devotee of Hinduism, reportedly left over a million dollars to build a temple in the city of Varanasi  according to Hare Krishna devotees. The news came as hundreds of Harrison fans still waited expectantly by the banks of the River Ganges for his ashes to arrive, amid confusion on how they were to be scattered. (Ami Vitale/Getty Images)
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  • An Indian prays in the holy Ganges river December 9, 2001 in Varanasi, India.  The late George Harrison, a longtime devotee of Hinduism, reportedly left over a million dollars to build a temple in Varanasi  according to Hare Krishna devotees. The news came as hundreds of Harrison fans still waited expectantly by the banks of the River Ganges for his ashes to arrive, amid confusion on how they were to be scattered. (Ami Vitale/Getty Images)
    var103.jpg
  • An Indian prays in the holy Ganges river December 9, 2001 in Varanasi, India.  The late George Harrison, a longtime devotee of Hinduism, reportedly left over a million dollars to build a temple in Varanasi  according to Hare Krishna devotees. The news came as hundreds of Harrison fans still waited expectantly by the banks of the River Ganges for his ashes to arrive, amid confusion on how they were to be scattered. (Ami Vitale/Getty Images)
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  • An Indian swims in the Ganges river December 9, 2001 in Varanasi, India.  The late George Harrison, a longtime devotee of Hinduism, reportedly left over a million dollars to build a temple in the holy city of Varanasi  according to Hare Krishna devotees. The news came as hundreds of Harrison fans still waited expectantly by the banks of the River Ganges for his ashes to arrive, amid confusion on how they were to be scattered. (Ami Vitale/Getty Images)
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  • A displaced Indian girl who fled her village near the border  region of Pallanwala in June 1999 washes clothes in a camp near Akhnur, India.  (Photo by Ami Vitale/Getty Images)
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  • Indians wash clothes along  the holy Ganges river December 10, 2001 in Varanasi, India.  The late George Harrison, a longtime devotee of Hinduism, reportedly left over a million dollars to build a temple in the holy city of Varanasi  according to Hare Krishna devotees. The news came as hundreds of Harrison fans still waited expectantly by the banks of the River Ganges for his ashes to arrive, amid confusion on how they were to be scattered. (Ami Vitale/Getty Images)
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  • Indians make prayers next to the holy Ganges river December 10, 2001 in Varanasi, India.  The late George Harrison, a longtime devotee of Hinduism, reportedly left over a million dollars to build a temple in the holy city of Varanasi  according to Hare Krishna devotees. The news came as hundreds of Harrison fans still waited expectantly by the banks of the River Ganges for his ashes to arrive, amid confusion on how they were to be scattered. (Ami Vitale/Getty Images)
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  • The steps leading to a shrine on the holy Ganges river are filled with early morning bathers and sheep December 11, 2001 in Varanasi, India.  The late George Harrison, a longtime devotee of Hinduism, reportedly left over a million dollars to build a temple in the holy city of Varanasi  according to Hare Krishna devotees. The news came as hundreds of Harrison fans still waited expectantly by the banks of the River Ganges for his ashes to arrive, amid confusion on how they were to be scattered. (Ami Vitale/Getty Images)
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  • An elderly Indian woman who just passed away is brought to the holy Ganges river and cremated December 11, 2001 in Varanasi, India.  The late George Harrison, a longtime devotee of Hinduism, reportedly left over a million dollars to build a temple in the holy city of Varanasi  according to Hare Krishna devotees. The news came as hundreds of Harrison fans still waited expectantly by the banks of the River Ganges for his ashes to arrive, amid confusion on how they were to be scattered. (Ami Vitale/Getty Images)
    var103.jpg
  • Muslims walk around the Jamia Masjid, or Grand Mosque, the first day of the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan in Delhi, India December 17, 2001.  (Getty Images/ Ami Vitale)
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  • A Muslim reads the Koran inside the Jamia Masjid, or Grand Mosque, the first day of the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan in Delhi, India December 17, 2001.  (Getty Images/ Ami Vitale)
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  • Muslim boys stand inside the Jamia Masjid, or Grand Mosque, the first day of the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan in Delhi, India December 17, 2001.  (Getty Images/ Ami Vitale)
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  • Young Muslim boys pose inside the Jamia Masjid, or Grand Mosque, the first day of the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan in Delhi, India December 17, 2001.  (Getty Images/ Ami Vitale)
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  • Muslims walk around the Jamia Masjid, or Grand Mosque, the first day of the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan in Delhi, India December 17, 2001.  (Getty Images/ Ami Vitale)
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  • BADGAM, KASHMIR,INDIA, MARCH 10, 2004:Villagers mourn the death of five people who were killed along with  48 who were injured, when a grenade exploded in the hands of a man who was seeking to extort money from a family in Badgam district of Kashmir, March 10, 2004.   Locals said the man was a former militant who was extorting money from villagers and thousands came out to mourn the deaths. Tens of thousands of people have died in Kashmir since the eruption of anti-Indian revolt in the region in 1989. Separatists put the toll at between 80,000 and 100,000.
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  • SRINAGAR, INDIA, MARCH 10, 2004:Children cry as Indian army bring back the bodies of  five people who were killed when a grenade exploded in the hands of a man who was seeking to extort money from a family in Budgam district of Kashmir, March 10, 2004.   Locals said the man was a former militant who was extorting money from villagers and thousands came out to mourn the deaths. Tens of thousands of people have died in Kashmir since the eruption of anti-Indian revolt in the region in 1989. Separatists put the toll at between 80,000 and 100,000.
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  • Villagers near the Pooch district in Jammu  go on with their daily activities after 10 armed militants who infiltrated from Pakistan were killed along the Line of Control between Pakistan and India Friday, November 2, 2001. The militants were allegedly crossing the border to fight for the jihad in Kashmir. (Getty Images/Ami Vitale)
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  • Kashmiris take a Sunday afternoon "shikari"  or gondola on Dal Lake with the Himalayas as a backdrop in Srinigar, February 10, 2002 in the Indian held state of Kashmir. India and Pakistan have already fought three wars over Kashmir and are the brink again as they amass their troops along the Line of Control. (Ami Vitale/Getty Images)
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  • Indians wash in the holy Ganges river in the early morning fog December 10, 2001 in Varanasi, India.  The late George Harrison, a longtime devotee of Hinduism, reportedly left over a million dollars to build a temple in the holy city of Varanasi  according to Hare Krishna devotees. The news came as hundreds of Harrison fans still waited expectantly by the banks of the River Ganges for his ashes to arrive, amid confusion on how they were to be scattered. (Ami Vitale/Getty Images)
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  • Indians wash clothes along  the holy Ganges river December 10, 2001 in Varanasi, India.  The late George Harrison, a longtime devotee of Hinduism, reportedly left over a million dollars to build a temple in the holy city of Varanasi  according to Hare Krishna devotees. The news came as hundreds of Harrison fans still waited expectantly by the banks of the River Ganges for his ashes to arrive, amid confusion on how they were to be scattered. (Ami Vitale/Getty Images)
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  • An Indian prays in the holy Ganges river December 9, 2001 in Varanasi, India.  The late George Harrison, a longtime devotee of Hinduism, reportedly left over a million dollars to build a temple in the city of Varanasi  according to Hare Krishna devotees. The news came as hundreds of Harrison fans still waited expectantly by the banks of the River Ganges for his ashes to arrive, amid confusion on how they were to be scattered. (Ami Vitale/Getty Images)
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  • An Indian puts candles for prayers in the holy Ganges river December 9, 2001 in Varanasi, India.  The late George Harrison, a longtime devotee of Hinduism, reportedly left over a million dollars to build a temple in Varanasi  according to Hare Krishna devotees. The news came as hundreds of Harrison fans still waited expectantly by the banks of the River Ganges for his ashes to arrive, amid confusion on how they were to be scattered. (Ami Vitale/Getty Images)
    var108.jpg
  • Indians wash in the holy Ganges river in the early morning fog December 10, 2001 in Varanasi, India.  The late George Harrison, a longtime devotee of Hinduism, reportedly left over a million dollars to build a temple in the holy city of Varanasi  according to Hare Krishna devotees. The news came as hundreds of Harrison fans still waited expectantly by the banks of the River Ganges for his ashes to arrive, amid confusion on how they were to be scattered. (Ami Vitale/Getty Images)
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  • Indians wash in the holy Ganges river in the early morning fog December 10, 2001 in Varanasi, India.  The late George Harrison, a longtime devotee of Hinduism, reportedly left over a million dollars to build a temple in the holy city of Varanasi  according to Hare Krishna devotees. The news came as hundreds of Harrison fans still waited expectantly by the banks of the River Ganges for his ashes to arrive, amid confusion on how they were to be scattered. (Ami Vitale/Getty Images)
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  • An Indian prays in the holy Ganges river December 11, 2001 in Varanasi, India.  The late George Harrison, a longtime devotee of Hinduism, reportedly left over a million dollars to build a temple in the holy city of Varanasi  according to Hare Krishna devotees.   (Ami Vitale/Getty Images)
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  • A Muslim sleeps inside the Jamia Masjid, or Grand Mosque, the first day of the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan in Delhi, India December 17, 2001.  (Getty Images/ Ami Vitale)
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  • Muslims walk around the Jamia Masjid, or Grand Mosque, the first day of the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan in Delhi, India December 17, 2001.  (Getty Images/ Ami Vitale)
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  • A Muslim sleeps inside the Jamia Masjid, or Grand Mosque, the first day of the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan in Delhi, India December 17, 2001.  (Getty Images/ Ami Vitale)
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  • Indians make prayers next to the holy Ganges river December 10, 2001 in Varanasi, India.  The late George Harrison, a longtime devotee of Hinduism, reportedly left over a million dollars to build a temple in the holy city of Varanasi  according to Hare Krishna devotees. The news came as hundreds of Harrison fans still waited expectantly by the banks of the River Ganges for his ashes to arrive, amid confusion on how they were to be scattered. (Ami Vitale)
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  • BADGAM, INDIA, MARCH 10, 2004:A Kashmiri woman comforts her relative as they mourn the death of five people who were killed along with  48 who were injured, when a grenade exploded in the hands of a man who was seeking to extort money from a family in Badgam district of Kashmir, March 10, 2004.   Locals said the man was a former militant who was extorting money from villagers and thousands came out to mourn the deaths. Tens of thousands of people have died in Kashmir since the eruption of anti-Indian revolt in the region in 1989. Separatists put the toll at between 80,000 and 100,000.
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  • Fishermen and women selling the fish work the market  in Nagapattinum district in Tamil Nadu, India   September ,2005. The recovery process is slow and the situation still grim for many of the worlds poorest who were most affected by the deadly wave.  (Ami Vitale)
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  • Fishermen bring in their nets on the beach across the bay from where all nearly of their homes and boats were destroyed  after the deadly tsunami hit last December 26 in the village of Muzuku Thurai near Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu, India August 26, 2005. Families are slowly recovering eight months after the deadly tsunami killed thousands but the process is slow and the situation still grim for many of the worlds poorest who were most affected by the deadly wave.  (Ami Vitale)
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  • Elisa, 38 holds her grandchild in front of a bear who spits on a cotton thread that will be tied around the child's neck to protect her from ghosts and evil spirits who perished in the tsunami in Nagapattinam district in Tamil Nadu, India August  31,2005.  Villagers have been frightened by rumors of ghosts and are taking desperate measures to protect themselves in this society which is deeply superstitious. Even though billions of dollars have been put towards the devastation, the recovery process is slow and the situation still grim for many of the world's poorest.  (Ami Vitale)
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  • Children play on the beach across the bay where all nearly of their homes and boats were destroyed  after the deadly tsunami hit last December 26 in the village of Muzuku Thurai near Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu, India August 26, 2005. Aid agencies  are providing entertainment for children in an effort to help them recover from the severe psycho-social health problems endemic to a catastrophe of this scale. Recovery is slow eight months after the deadly tsunami killed thousands, destroyed homes and livelihoods. The situation is still grim for many who suffer from poor living conditions, depression and many have taken up  alcohol as a means to escape.  (Ami Vitale)
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  • Children watch a puppet show performed by Unicef workers across the bay where all nearly of their homes and boats were destroyed  after the deadly tsunami hit last December 26 in the village of Muzuku Thurai near Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu, India August 26, 2005. Aid agencies  are providing entertainment for children in an effort to help them recover from the severe psycho-social health problems endemic to a catastrophe of this scale. Recovery is slow eight months after the deadly tsunami killed thousands, destroyed homes and livelihoods. The situation is still grim for many who suffer from poor living conditions, depression and many have taken up  alcohol as a means to escape.  (Ami Vitale)
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  • Fishing families  in Nagapattinum district in Tamil Nadu, India  repairs boats  September ,2005. The recovery process is slow and the situation still grim for many of the worlds poorest who were most affected by the deadly wave.  (Ami Vitale)
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  • Fishermen bring in their nets on the beach across the bay from where all nearly of their homes and boats were destroyed  after the deadly tsunami hit last December 26 in the village of Muzuku Thurai near Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu, India August 26, 2005. Families are slowly recovering eight months after the deadly tsunami killed thousands but the process is slow and the situation still grim for many of the worlds poorest who were most affected by the deadly wave.  (Ami Vitale)
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  • Fishing families in Nagapattinum district in Tamil Nadu, India    bring in their catch September ,2005. The recovery process is slow and the situation still grim for many of the worlds poorest who were most affected by the deadly wave.  (Ami Vitale)
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  • A fisherman repairs his net on one of the fibre glass boats donated to the community on Akkrapattai beach in Nagapattinum district in Tamil Nadu, India August  28,2005. The recovery process is slow and the situation still grim for many of the worlds poorest who were most affected by the deadly wave.  (Ami Vitale)
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  • Orphans from the tsunami pray in a residential home in Nagapattinam district in Tamil Nadu, India August  31,2005.   Even though billions of dollars have been put towards the devastation, the recovery process is slow and the situation still grim for many of the world's poorest.  (Ami Vitale)
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  • Fishing families  in Nagapattinum district in Tamil Nadu, India  work the early morning fish market as boats bring in their catch September ,2005. The recovery process is slow and the situation still grim for many of the worlds poorest who were most affected by the deadly wave.  (Ami Vitale)
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  • Massilimani and his wife Punitha put up photographs of their children and relatives who died in the tsunami inside the temporary shelter where they sleep. They wanted to move back to Arynatu beach but are afraid to after a man said he saw ghosts.  Life goes on inside the temporary shelters despite the searing temperatures and daily struggles as families try to  recover from the deadly tsunami in  Nagapattinum district in Tamil Nadu, India August  13, 2005. The recovery process is slow and the situation still grim for many of the worlds poorest who were most affected by the deadly wave.  (Ami Vitale)
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  • Fishermen and women selling the fish work the market  in Nagapattinum district in Tamil Nadu, India   September ,2005. The recovery process is slow and the situation still grim for many of the worlds poorest who were most affected by the deadly wave.  (Ami Vitale)
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  • Chitrakoot, Uttar Pradesh, India: Dalit women come together for a conference led by the women's group Vanangana in Chitrakoot, Uttar Pradesh, India February 12, 2006.  Chitrakoot district has a high level of poverty, feudalism, violence. Some of the women are a part of a group that brought out a newspaper in the local dialect for a rural audience, and to create awareness. Khabar Lahariya, is a fortnightly rural newspaper produced by the group of seven, predominantly dalit and kol women. The publication began in May 2002 and presently has a print run of 1500.  In Chitrakoot district, as in other parts of India, mainstream newspapers do not reach large sections of the rural population nor do they meet their local news and information needs. Khabar Lahariya provides a mix of news, information and entertainment. Khabar Lahariya's hallmark is the local. Its strength is credible investigative reportage. It covers current political news, stories on the functioning of panchayats, the bureaucracy, schools, hospitals and reports atrocities on women and marginalized sections of society.(Ami Vitale)
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  • Chitrakoot, Uttar Pradesh, India: Dalit women come together for a conference led by the women's group Vanangana in Chitrakoot, Uttar Pradesh, India February 12, 2006.  Chitrakoot district has a high level of poverty, feudalism, violence. Some of the women are a part of a group that brought out a newspaper in the local dialect for a rural audience, and to create awareness. Khabar Lahariya, is a fortnightly rural newspaper produced by the group of seven, predominantly dalit and kol women. The publication began in May 2002 and presently has a print run of 1500.  In Chitrakoot district, as in other parts of India, mainstream newspapers do not reach large sections of the rural population nor do they meet their local news and information needs. Khabar Lahariya provides a mix of news, information and entertainment. Khabar Lahariya's hallmark is the local. Its strength is credible investigative reportage. It covers current political news, stories on the functioning of panchayats, the bureaucracy, schools, hospitals and reports atrocities on women and marginalized sections of society.(Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • KOLHAPUR, INDIA - MARCH 22: Indian men practice the three thousand year old sport known as "Kushti", a form of wrestling, in its traditional form at the fight club Shahupuri in Kolhapur, India.  In this south-eastern Indian city Kushti has a long tradition. It used to be supported by local maharajas and is financed by the government. But its days are numbered. Last year, the Indian Fighters Federation in the capital of New Delhi stunned thousands of fighters when it announced prohibition of fighting on red soil and ordered fight clubs to buy mattresses for their arenas. Ending the traditional red clay wrestling was an idea sprouted from the aspiration to achieve more Olympic medals since the last and only medal India brought home in wrestling was a bronze in 1952. So far no one here in Kolhapur is buying the mattresses and instead they continue the rigorous schedule of waking up at 3:30am six times a week and practicing more than 6 hours every day. They live together in one small room above the arena and their only belongings are a blanket, a few items of clothes and some books about the art of Kushti. They have been compared to holy men because of their celibacy and dedication and they practice exercises like standing on one's head for lengths of time to expel "filthy" thoughts. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • KOLHAPUR, INDIA - MARCH 22: Indian men practice the three thousand year old sport known as "Kushti", a form of wrestling, in its traditional form at the fight club Shahupuri in Kolhapur, India.  In this south-eastern Indian city Kushti has a long tradition. It used to be supported by local maharajas and is financed by the government. But its days are numbered. Last year, the Indian Fighters Federation in the capital of New Delhi stunned thousands of fighters when it announced prohibition of fighting on red soil and ordered fight clubs to buy mattresses for their arenas. Ending the traditional red clay wrestling was an idea sprouted from the aspiration to achieve more Olympic medals since the last and only medal India brought home in wrestling was a bronze in 1952. So far no one here in Kolhapur is buying the mattresses and instead they continue the rigorous schedule of waking up at 3:30am six times a week and practicing more than 6 hours every day. They live together in one small room above the arena and their only belongings are a blanket, a few items of clothes and some books about the art of Kushti. They have been compared to holy men because of their celibacy and dedication and they practice exercises like standing on one's head for lengths of time to expel "filthy" thoughts. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • KOLHAPUR, INDIA - MARCH 22: Indian men practice the three thousand year old sport known as "Kushti", a form of wrestling, in its traditional form at the fight club Shahupuri in Kolhapur, India.  In this south-eastern Indian city Kushti has a long tradition. It used to be supported by local maharajas and is financed by the government. But its days are numbered. Last year, the Indian Fighters Federation in the capital of New Delhi stunned thousands of fighters when it announced prohibition of fighting on red soil and ordered fight clubs to buy mattresses for their arenas. Ending the traditional red clay wrestling was an idea sprouted from the aspiration to achieve more Olympic medals since the last and only medal India brought home in wrestling was a bronze in 1952. So far no one here in Kolhapur is buying the mattresses and instead they continue the rigorous schedule of waking up at 3:30am six times a week and practicing more than 6 hours every day. They live together in one small room above the arena and their only belongings are a blanket, a few items of clothes and some books about the art of Kushti. They have been compared to holy men because of their celibacy and dedication and they practice exercises like standing on one's head for lengths of time to expel "filthy" thoughts. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • KOLHAPUR, INDIA - MARCH 22: Indian men practice the three thousand year old sport known as "Kushti", a form of wrestling, in its traditional form at the fight club Shahupuri in Kolhapur, India.  In this south-eastern Indian city Kushti has a long tradition. It used to be supported by local maharajas and is financed by the government. But its days are numbered. Last year, the Indian Fighters Federation in the capital of New Delhi stunned thousands of fighters when it announced prohibition of fighting on red soil and ordered fight clubs to buy mattresses for their arenas. Ending the traditional red clay wrestling was an idea sprouted from the aspiration to achieve more Olympic medals since the last and only medal India brought home in wrestling was a bronze in 1952. So far no one here in Kolhapur is buying the mattresses and instead they continue the rigorous schedule of waking up at 3:30am six times a week and practicing more than 6 hours every day. They live together in one small room above the arena and their only belongings are a blanket, a few items of clothes and some books about the art of Kushti. They have been compared to holy men because of their celibacy and dedication and they practice exercises like standing on one's head for lengths of time to expel "filthy" thoughts. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • KOLHAPUR, INDIA - MARCH 22: Indian men practice the three thousand year old sport known as "Kushti", a form of wrestling, in its traditional form at the fight club Shahupuri in Kolhapur, India.  In this south-eastern Indian city Kushti has a long tradition. It used to be supported by local maharajas and is financed by the government. But its days are numbered. Last year, the Indian Fighters Federation in the capital of New Delhi stunned thousands of fighters when it announced prohibition of fighting on red soil and ordered fight clubs to buy mattresses for their arenas. Ending the traditional red clay wrestling was an idea sprouted from the aspiration to achieve more Olympic medals since the last and only medal India brought home in wrestling was a bronze in 1952. So far no one here in Kolhapur is buying the mattresses and instead they continue the rigorous schedule of waking up at 3:30am six times a week and practicing more than 6 hours every day. They live together in one small room above the arena and their only belongings are a blanket, a few items of clothes and some books about the art of Kushti. They have been compared to holy men because of their celibacy and dedication and they practice exercises like standing on one's head for lengths of time to expel "filthy" thoughts. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • KOLHAPUR, INDIA - MARCH 22: Indian men practice the three thousand year old sport known as "Kushti", a form of wrestling, in its traditional form at the fight club Shahupuri in Kolhapur, India.  In this south-eastern Indian city Kushti has a long tradition. It used to be supported by local maharajas and is financed by the government. But its days are numbered. Last year, the Indian Fighters Federation in the capital of New Delhi stunned thousands of fighters when it announced prohibition of fighting on red soil and ordered fight clubs to buy mattresses for their arenas. Ending the traditional red clay wrestling was an idea sprouted from the aspiration to achieve more Olympic medals since the last and only medal India brought home in wrestling was a bronze in 1952. So far no one here in Kolhapur is buying the mattresses and instead they continue the rigorous schedule of waking up at 3:30am six times a week and practicing more than 6 hours every day. They live together in one small room above the arena and their only belongings are a blanket, a few items of clothes and some books about the art of Kushti. They have been compared to holy men because of their celibacy and dedication and they practice exercises like standing on one's head for lengths of time to expel "filthy" thoughts. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • KOLHAPUR, INDIA - MARCH 22: Indian men practice the three thousand year old sport known as "Kushti", a form of wrestling, in its traditional form at the fight club Shahupuri in Kolhapur, India.  In this south-eastern Indian city Kushti has a long tradition. It used to be supported by local maharajas and is financed by the government. But its days are numbered. Last year, the Indian Fighters Federation in the capital of New Delhi stunned thousands of fighters when it announced prohibition of fighting on red soil and ordered fight clubs to buy mattresses for their arenas. Ending the traditional red clay wrestling was an idea sprouted from the aspiration to achieve more Olympic medals since the last and only medal India brought home in wrestling was a bronze in 1952. So far no one here in Kolhapur is buying the mattresses and instead they continue the rigorous schedule of waking up at 3:30am six times a week and practicing more than 6 hours every day. They live together in one small room above the arena and their only belongings are a blanket, a few items of clothes and some books about the art of Kushti. They have been compared to holy men because of their celibacy and dedication and they practice exercises like standing on one's head for lengths of time to expel "filthy" thoughts. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • KOLHAPUR, INDIA - MARCH 22: Indian men practice the three thousand year old sport known as "Kushti", a form of wrestling, in its traditional form at the fight club Shahupuri in Kolhapur, India.  In this south-eastern Indian city Kushti has a long tradition. It used to be supported by local maharajas and is financed by the government. But its days are numbered. Last year, the Indian Fighters Federation in the capital of New Delhi stunned thousands of fighters when it announced prohibition of fighting on red soil and ordered fight clubs to buy mattresses for their arenas. Ending the traditional red clay wrestling was an idea sprouted from the aspiration to achieve more Olympic medals since the last and only medal India brought home in wrestling was a bronze in 1952. So far no one here in Kolhapur is buying the mattresses and instead they continue the rigorous schedule of waking up at 3:30am six times a week and practicing more than 6 hours every day. They live together in one small room above the arena and their only belongings are a blanket, a few items of clothes and some books about the art of Kushti. They have been compared to holy men because of their celibacy and dedication and they practice exercises like standing on one's head for lengths of time to expel "filthy" thoughts. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • KOLHAPUR, INDIA - MARCH 22: Indian men practice the three thousand year old sport known as "Kushti", a form of wrestling, in its traditional form at the fight club Shahupuri in Kolhapur, India.  In this south-eastern Indian city Kushti has a long tradition. It used to be supported by local maharajas and is financed by the government. But its days are numbered. Last year, the Indian Fighters Federation in the capital of New Delhi stunned thousands of fighters when it announced prohibition of fighting on red soil and ordered fight clubs to buy mattresses for their arenas. Ending the traditional red clay wrestling was an idea sprouted from the aspiration to achieve more Olympic medals since the last and only medal India brought home in wrestling was a bronze in 1952. So far no one here in Kolhapur is buying the mattresses and instead they continue the rigorous schedule of waking up at 3:30am six times a week and practicing more than 6 hours every day. They live together in one small room above the arena and their only belongings are a blanket, a few items of clothes and some books about the art of Kushti. They have been compared to holy men because of their celibacy and dedication and they practice exercises like standing on one's head for lengths of time to expel "filthy" thoughts. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • An Indian baby displaced by the fighting along the Line of Control between Pakistan and India sleeps inside a police station in Samba in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, May 21, 2002. Fears of another war between India and Pakistan grow as a moderate Kashmiri leader, Abdul Gane Lone was shot by unidendified gunmen in Srinagar, India. Lone was one of the leaders of the All Party Hurriyat Conference, a group of political and religious parties that advocate Muslim-majority Kashmir's separation from predominantly Hindu India.
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  • KOLHAPUR, INDIA - MARCH 22: Indian men practice the three thousand year old sport known as "Kushti", a form of wrestling, in its traditional form at the fight club Shahupuri in Kolhapur, India.  In this south-eastern Indian city Kushti has a long tradition. It used to be supported by local maharajas and is financed by the government. But its days are numbered. Last year, the Indian Fighters Federation in the capital of New Delhi stunned thousands of fighters when it announced prohibition of fighting on red soil and ordered fight clubs to buy mattresses for their arenas. Ending the traditional red clay wrestling was an idea sprouted from the aspiration to achieve more Olympic medals since the last and only medal India brought home in wrestling was a bronze in 1952. So far no one here in Kolhapur is buying the mattresses and instead they continue the rigorous schedule of waking up at 3:30am six times a week and practicing more than 6 hours every day. They live together in one small room above the arena and their only belongings are a blanket, a few items of clothes and some books about the art of Kushti. They have been compared to holy men because of their celibacy and dedication and they practice exercises like standing on one's head for lengths of time to expel "filthy" thoughts. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • KOLHAPUR, INDIA - MARCH 22: Indian men practice the three thousand year old sport known as "Kushti", a form of wrestling, in its traditional form at the fight club Shahupuri in Kolhapur, India.  In this south-eastern Indian city Kushti has a long tradition. It used to be supported by local maharajas and is financed by the government. But its days are numbered. Last year, the Indian Fighters Federation in the capital of New Delhi stunned thousands of fighters when it announced prohibition of fighting on red soil and ordered fight clubs to buy mattresses for their arenas. Ending the traditional red clay wrestling was an idea sprouted from the aspiration to achieve more Olympic medals since the last and only medal India brought home in wrestling was a bronze in 1952. So far no one here in Kolhapur is buying the mattresses and instead they continue the rigorous schedule of waking up at 3:30am six times a week and practicing more than 6 hours every day. They live together in one small room above the arena and their only belongings are a blanket, a few items of clothes and some books about the art of Kushti. They have been compared to holy men because of their celibacy and dedication and they practice exercises like standing on one's head for lengths of time to expel "filthy" thoughts. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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  • KOLHAPUR, INDIA - MARCH 22: Indian men practice the three thousand year old sport known as "Kushti", a form of wrestling, in its traditional form at the fight club Shahupuri in Kolhapur, India.  In this south-eastern Indian city Kushti has a long tradition. It used to be supported by local maharajas and is financed by the government. But its days are numbered. Last year, the Indian Fighters Federation in the capital of New Delhi stunned thousands of fighters when it announced prohibition of fighting on red soil and ordered fight clubs to buy mattresses for their arenas. Ending the traditional red clay wrestling was an idea sprouted from the aspiration to achieve more Olympic medals since the last and only medal India brought home in wrestling was a bronze in 1952. So far no one here in Kolhapur is buying the mattresses and instead they continue the rigorous schedule of waking up at 3:30am six times a week and practicing more than 6 hours every day. They live together in one small room above the arena and their only belongings are a blanket, a few items of clothes and some books about the art of Kushti. They have been compared to holy men because of their celibacy and dedication and they practice exercises like standing on one's head for lengths of time to expel "filthy" thoughts. (Photo by Ami Vitale)
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