Kila Raipur spirit: Stage is set for this year's 'Rural Olympics'

Mohit Khanna & Mahesh Sharma

FOR over 90 years, the Kila Raipur ‘Rural Olympics’ has been a celebration of rural sports, cementing its credentials of being a global spectacle. A testament to the progressive spirit of Punjabis, the three-day festival held at Kila Raipur village, around 20 km from Ludhiana, not only showcases physical strength and endurance, but also the farmers’ love for animals as well as tools. The sporting event made a triumphant return last year after a hiatus of four years, owing to Covid-19 regulations, the vagaries of weather and a legal tussle over the ownership of the venue. More than one lakh visitors thronged the venue — maybe far less than during the festival’s glory days, but impressive nevertheless.

The stage is set for this year’s event. February 12 is the tentative date, with the Punjab Government allocating a grant of Rs 2 crore. The Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs has added the festival to its annual calendar. The ‘Rural Olympics’ has always transcended the boundaries of traditional sports. Beyond the cheers and excitement, the games also convey powerful social messages. This year, to promote inclusivity and gender equality, the organisers plan a race among males, females and transgenders. Last year, an unconventional relay race was held to create awareness about women’s health. Instead of batons, teams of young girls passed sanitary pads to one another.

Convener of the 2024 event, Ludhiana Additional Deputy Commissioner (Rural Development) Anmol Singh Dhaliwal says the plan for conduct of the event has been sent to Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister Anmol Gagan Maan. The venue is buzzing with activity as artisans renovate the arena and surroundings.

Sports Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer says the Kila Raipur games are an “integral part of our culture and heritage. All help that is needed in organising the event is being given”. Maan adds, “The government is committed to revitalising, showcasing and preserving the state’s vibrant culture, tradition and heritage. Supporting the games is a dedicated initiative to breathe new life into the profound sporting legacy of the region.”

Col Surinder Singh, an office-bearer of Kila Raipur Sports Society, Suhavia Patti, says several sporting events, including hockey, kabaddi, tyre race, tug of war and a range of athletic events for all age groups, will be held. Performances displaying Punjab’s traditional activities will also be organised, besides cultural concerts during the day as well as in the evening. However, the iconic bullock cart race, one of the major attractions, as well as dog race and equestrian events will not be held. These were discontinued after 2014.

Kila Raipur has been the launch pad for a number of sportspersons of national and international repute. Over the years, many Olympians and sports icons have been invited to participate.

Asian and Commonwealth Games medallist (discus throw) Swaranjit Kaur, now an SP in Punjab Police, has been associated with Kila Raipur games as a sports ambassador for some years now. She says the rural games provide an encouraging platform for budding women sportspersons. “The organisers have always motivated and facilitated girls from poor rural families to do well in sports,” she adds. The ‘Rural Olympics’ has championed gender equality and women empowerment, encouraging participation in athletics, kabaddi and hockey for a long time.

The hockey tournament is one of the popular events. Its trophy, made of 1-kg pure gold, is equally famous. Given by Prahlad Singh Grewal of Narangwal village, Ludhiana, in 1964 in memory of his son, this cup is presented to the winning team only as a token of esteem as the gold trophy otherwise remains in a bank locker.

Love for prized bulls

The bullock cart race may have been discontinued but the affection for prized bulls remains. Some years back, an elaborate prayer meet was held to pay homage to a racing bullock that died in an accident. The event had drawn a large gathering of rural sports organisers from the region.

Avtar Singh Tari’s eyes light up when he shares his family’s legacy of raising bullocks that have won races at the Kila Raipur festival for over seven decades. A resident of Baurhai Kalan village, Malerkotla district, the prominent sports promoter recalls the deep bond between farmers and farm animals. “My father always prioritised the well-being of bullocks and calves,” he says.

Pushpinder Pindi Cheema of Dehlon village in Ludhiana, who has been associated with bullock cart racing for over four decades, says these have had a significant role in putting the Kila Raipur games on the world map.

“When the bullock cart race was legal, the price of oxen ranged between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 15 lakh. The diet for racing bullocks that consisted of desi ghee, black gram and almonds cost at least Rs 20,000 a month. After the ban, there are hardly any takers for these animals though many enthusiasts still keep these oxen and participate in some illegally organised racing events,” adds Cheema.

Deepak Sharma of Lohgarh village, whose bullocks participated in the cart race for many years, recalls how he would engage jockeys by paying them months in advance. “My jockeys, Karmu and Jaila, fetched me cash prizes worth thousands at Kila Raipur and other rural sports fairs,” he adds.

The dog race was another anticipated event. Past races have seen greyhounds from Canada worth Rs 4 lakh competing with “desi” participants in the 100-m race. Malkit Singh of Dhulkot village recollects one such race in which his brother Bhupinder Singh Bhupa’s dog died after being hit by a cable machine at the finishing point. But that did not deter his brother from pursuing his hobby.

Special attraction for NRIs

The games are a major attraction for NRIs and Punjabis living across India, as many people schedule their visit home according to the dates of the Kila Raipur sports festival. Organisers have encashed upon this trend, encouraging sports lovers to give handsome cash prizes to participants. Not just locals and NRIs, the ‘Rural Olympics’ also attracts a large number of foreign visitors and mediapersons.

The games not only provide employment to locals but are also a huge boost for businesses. The event draws interest from automobile, tractor and agricultural tool companies, seeking to engage with the rural audience.

From artisans to just about anyone who can showcase skills, the festival provides a level-playing field. It is also intrinsically linked with the economy of the agrarian society.

The inclusivity and diversity of participants is quite striking. You can have a three-year-old performing acrobatic stunts to a nonagenarian sprinting across the track. Besides traditional sports, the event features unique games such as loading and unloading 50-kg sacks, slow cycle races and a tricycle race for the differently-abled.

Be it acrobats jumping through burning tyres, pulling a car with teeth or Nihangs showcasing martial arts, the festival encompasses a wide array of activities.

Mahesh Ranka, an event organiser from Mumbai, has been associated with the games for over 15 years. He terms it the most popular and vibrant sports event. Another long-time Kila Raipur enthusiast, Daljeet Narang says the festival “offers a true sense of Punjab’s culture, where unity prevails over caste and creed, where men and women stand on an equal platform to perform”. Let the games begin!

History and controversy

• First held in 1933 during the pre-harvesting season, the Kila Raipur rural festival’s essence of sportsmanship, cultural heritage, hospitality and munificence has resonated worldwide.
• In 1980s, during the dark days of militancy, the sports festival faced many problems. The gruesome incidents of terrorism at Kila Raipur railway station, Baddowal, Ahmedgarh and Sahnewal affected various stakeholders.
• For the first six decades, the games remained largely apolitical but factionalism and political interference started creeping in during the subsequent decades.
• The year 2000 came as a big jolt to the games as the bullock cart and dog races and equestrian sports came under government scrutiny under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
• A communication was sent by Deputy Secretary, Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, to the District Collector, Ludhiana, on November 17, 2000. It imposed many restrictions and allowed these races under the strict supervision of a government authorised body with strict safety protocols. A complete ban was imposed by the Supreme Court in 2014 on animal sports.