Photos

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
Varzesh-e Pahlavani (varzeš-e pahlavānī ورزش پهلوانی) meaning the "Sport of the Heroes", also known as Varzesh-e Bastani (Persian varzeš-e bāstnī ورزش باستانی), meaning the "Sport of the Ancients", or simply as Pahlavani, is a traditional discipline of gymnastics and wrestling in Iran, which was originally an academy of physical training for military purposes.

Varzesh-e Pahlavani combines elements of the pre-Islamic Iranian culture with the spirituality of Sufism. Participants are expected to be pure, truthful, and good tempered and only then strong in body.