Pattankodoli Festival and Kolhapur Kushti Aakhara

An ASP Phototour

Mentor: Arun Saha

 

Date : 10 to 13 Oct 2025

 

OVERVIEW

Vittal Birdev Annual Yatra at PATTANKODOLI : Shri Vittal Birdev Annual Yatra is observed at Pattan Kodoli village in Hatkangale Taluka near Kolhapur. It is the birth anniversary or Janmotsav festival of Vitthal Birdev Maharaj, who is considered a reincarnation of Lord Vishnu. The annual fair and festival attracts thousands of devotees to Pattan Kodoli village. Birdev is the family deity of the Shepherd community Dhangar from Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa and Andhra Pradesh. The most important ceremony of this fare is the predictions by Shree Kheloba Rajabhau Waghmode, from Anjungau, a village in Solhapur District. The festive mood remains completely in groove with people throwing Haldi, i.e., turmeric powder over him while sitting under a Banyan tree and seeking his blessings. Sri Keloba Rajabau Waghmode, known as the ‘Baba’ of the devotees, walks 17 days from his village to reach Pattan Kodoli for the festival every year. He is considered as the messenger of god. Huge umbrellas are brought in to welcome the Baba to the temple, accompanied with a procession with drums and traditional music. As soon as he enters the temple, Baba attains a trance mode that makes him jump and dance that lasts for nearly 10 minutes. The Baba then goes ahead to foretell his predictions about farming, rain and future conditions in Kannada, his trance language, which is translated by the priest. He starts his journey back after the rituals gets over.

Such intense traditions and unbelievable rituals of India and its vibrant culture has always been a wonder for a traveller from worldwide. This festival still has the strongest promise to fulfill a travel photographer’s dream for being it a relatively lesser-known and less popular event around the world.

Kolhapur Kushti Aakhara : Kushti, the traditional mud wrestling is the ancient sport in India and oldest in the world. kushti takes place in a clay or dirt pit. The soil is mixed with ghee and other ingredients and is tended to before each practice. Wrestlers of aakhara live and train together and follow strict rules and a restricted life style. Soft drugs such as alcohol, (chewing) tabacco or even coffee and tea are not allowed. Wrestler lives off a high-energy diet that is supposed to build up body mass. The training schedule of a Kushti wrestler starts at around 4 or 5 am with exercises and practice matches. After lunch, wrestlers must sleep until the next training session of the day which starts around 4 pm and may last around two hours. During training sessions, wrestlers work themselves to near exhaustion. All these activities create amply opportunities of photography.

TRIP ITINERARY :

Day 1 : 10^th Oct 2025 (Friday) : We will meet in our pre-booked hotel in Kolhapur in the afternoon around 2pm, get checked in and will start for Pattankodoli. We will visit the festival ground for a pre-festival survey(this is very essential) and try to capture some different moods of the festival till evening. After the program, return to the pre-booked hotel at Kolhapur for an overnight stay.

Day 2: 11^th Oct 2025 (Saturday) : Morning and evening shooting session at kusthi aakhara to capture different activities of aakhara at different time. For interested participants, we will arrange a discussion and review session.

Day 3 : 12^th Oct 2025 (Sunday) : After breakfast, we will start for Pattankodoli village and spend the whole day at the village shooting the festival. Overnight stay at Kolhapur.

Day 4 : 13^th Oct 2025 (Monday) : After the morning breakfast, we will have a final gettogether. We will leave the hotel by 11am. Our trip ends here.

#Schedule of the programmes may shift if festival date and schedule changes.

ASK US FOR THE TOUR COST

CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICY

If you cancel your registration, then you will be refunded according to the following schedule, based on the full fee of the Workshop:

45 days or more: 75% refund

30 days or more: 50% refund

15 Days or more: 25% refund

Less than 15 days : Non –refundable

Fee Includes :

• • Shared double bed room (same gender participants/couples/friends/partners) in a standard clean hotel at Kolhapur, with western toilet and AC. For single room accomodation, extra charges are applicable.
  • It will cover your main meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner), starting from 10^th October  Evening Tea to 13^th October breakfast.
  • Mineral water
  • Tea/Coffee will be provided with breakfast and in the evening.
  • All local transports related to our tour from Kolhapur
  • Mentor’s fee for photography tour, on-field photography assistances and image reviews and workshop.

Fee Doesn’t Includes :

• • Train/flight tickets to and from Kolhapur city, India.
  • Any additional food items or beverage during meals.
  • Any extra mineral water bottle / beverage will be your personal expense.
  • Any personal habit or expenses.
  • Anything that is not in “Include” list.
  • What do I get from this photo-tour?
    1. A thoroughly guided photographic experience by an expert in the field who knows the places and events very well.
    2. Slide show presentation of photographs and information of locations and events before each day’s shoot.
    3. Guiding all participants about lens requirements, creative composition and camera settings on the field during photo shoot.
    4. Review of participants’ photographs from the tour.
    5. Assisting in possible editing guidance.
    6. Guiding participants in finding photographic locations and vantage points for places and events.
    7. Helping in finding the local delicacies.
    8. Guiding the entire team about the event, gear requirements, the likely challenge to be faced through a webinar with a PPT presentation well before the tour starts.

     

  • Am I eligible for this tour?
  • Anyone above 18 years (unless accompanied by a parent or guardian) is welcome to join this photo tour.
  • I am new to photography. Will I join this trip?
    Yes of course. This tour is for all photography enthusiastic people. The more you travel and explore, the more your photographic eye will open. Moreover, our team leaders will ensure to give special attention to the beginners.
  • What equipments are required for this Trip?
    Well, even the point-and-shoot camera will work fine. If you have a DSLR camera, any zoom lens and a wide-angle lens will work, but preferably a full-frame camera with a faster wide-angle lens will serve best. A laptop with post-processing software, an extension charging board, an external hard drive, a pen drive and extra memory cards will be helpful.
  • What is the difference between ASP Photo Tour and other tours?
    We are not offering a package tour for general tourists; it is specifically meant for photography enthusiastic people and designed by experienced professional photographers. You will discover the place and learn a lot about this ancient city, its local people and their culture which is an important part of our travel photography. We will try to observe the local people, their daily activities and cultural beliefs and will try to capture those moments using the right compositions and techniques. Our Team Leaders will help our guests to learn camera settings, framing and as well as post-processing. If that’s what is your requirements then surely join us for this exciting photo tour with ASP.
    
    #Under any unavoidable circumstances, if we have to cancel our photo tour, your entire booking money will be refunded. 
    DISCLAIMER
    • We don’t have any control over weather conditions, pandemics, accidents or any medical emergencies. Under any unforeseen conditions, we may have to change our schedule. We expect your cooperation under such circumstances.
    • In the COVID19 PANDEMIC situation, we expect all our guests to follow the ASP and Govt laid down rules of social distancing and precautions throughout the tour.

    Click here https://www.arunsaha.com/vittal-birdev-annual-yatra-at-pattankodoli/ to see the entire PATTANKODOLI BLOGPOST and click here https://www.arunsaha.com/dt_gallery/kolhapur-kushti/ to see the KOLHAPUR KUSHTI portfolio.

    For more Details :

    Contact(call or WhatsApp) #8605013985

    Or mail us at arunsahaphotography@gmail.com

 

Our Liabilities & Limitations:

• • All itineraries are sample itineraries, intended to give you a general idea of the likely trip schedule. Numerous factors such as weather, road conditions, local political situations, the physical ability of the participants etc. may dictate itinerary changes either before the tour or while on the trail. We reserve the right to change any schedule in the interest of the trip participants’ safety, comfort & general well being.
  • Organisers shall not be responsible for any delays & alterations in the programme or expenses incurred – directly or indirectly – due to natural hazards, flight delays or cancellations, train delay, accidents, breakdown of transport, weather, sickness, road blockages, political closures or any troublesome incidents.
  • Organisers shall not be responsible for any loss, injury or damage to person, property, or otherwise in connection with any accommodation, transportation or other services, resulting – directly or indirectly – from any act of GOD, dangers, fire, accident, breakdown in machinery or equipment, breakdown of transport, wars, civil disturbances, strikes, riots, thefts, pilferages, epidemics, medical or custom department regulations, defaults, or any other causes beyond our control.
  • Organisers do not have any insurance policy covering the expenses for accidents, sickness, loss due to theft, or any other reasons. All baggage, camera, other gears & personal property/s at all times are at the client’s risk.