A powerful visual narrative exploring the slow disappearance of a traditional Indian sport is now on display in Mumbai. Visual artist and photographer Jayesh Sharma's solo exhibition, titled 'Rituals of Impermanence', opened its doors to the public at the Nine Fish Art Gallery on December 6, 2025. The showcase will continue to engage audiences until January 5, 2026, offering a poignant look at a fading cultural practice.
An Eight-Year Journey into the Akhada
The exhibition presents the culmination of Sharma's dedicated eight-year project. His focus has been on meticulously documenting the declining practice of Indian Kushti wrestling and the traditional akhada spaces where this ancient sport is performed. Over nearly a decade, the artist's lens has captured not just the physicality of the wrestlers, but the very soul of the spaces that hold this history.
Sharma describes a significant evolution in his work during this long-term project. Initially centered on the wrestlers themselves, his perspective gradually shifted. "Over the years, I observed that the human presence was diminishing, and the empty structures began to carry the stories," the artist revealed. This insight transformed the series into a meditation on absence and memory.
From Wrestlers to Walls: Capturing a Sense of Passing
The photographs in 'Rituals of Impermanence' now masterfully capture a delicate interplay. They frame the relationship between the few remaining practitioners, the environments they train in, and the pervasive sense of time passing. The images go beyond mere documentation; they evoke the texture of the tradition itself.
Curated by Anurag Kanoria and with design by Bacteria Design, the exhibition features compelling visuals that highlight:
- The daily rituals and disciplined routines of the wrestlers.
- The dynamic physical movements intrinsic to Kushti.
- The weathered textures and marks on the akhada walls, each telling a silent story.
At its core, the work underscores the profound interconnection between the practitioners and the historic spaces they occupy—a bond that is becoming increasingly fragile.
A Photographer's Focus on Time and Tradition
Jayesh Sharma's artistic practice is deeply rooted in exploring themes of time and embodied traditions. Spanning documentary, portraiture, and conceptual photography, his work consistently returns to how cultures remember and what they leave behind. His international experience includes a notable 2025 artist residency in AlUla, Saudi Arabia, where he challenged himself by producing a series of night photographs using only moonlight.
The exhibition is hosted at the Nine Fish Art Gallery, located within the historic Great Eastern Mills complex in Byculla East, Mumbai. Art enthusiasts and cultural historians can visit the gallery daily between 10:30 am and 7:30 pm to witness this evocative collection. 'Rituals of Impermanence' is more than a photo exhibition; it is a timely archive and a respectful homage to a piece of living heritage that is quietly receding into memory.
