| Location : Kila Raipur, Ludhiana | When/ Who organizes it? : February | | About the Festival : In February each year, Ludhiana becomes the destination for hundreds of sports enthusiasts,including foreigners. Many of them have never seen bullock carts or camels running for coveted cash prizes in speed races. They come to Kila Raipur to see the special breed of bullocks, camels, dogs, mules and other animals competing in highly professional events. It is to be seen to be believed. |  | Celebrating the Festival : In an excerpt from an article written by Donald Banerjee visiting Punjab, its described what the visitor can expect to see at the Rural Olympics..’ Nihang astride three horses come galloping down from a distance raising a lot of dust. A battle cry goes up as they aim their lances at the pegs. All three manage to gallop away with the wooden pegs. The stands in the stadium reverberate with the cheers. The exercise calls for an uncanny sense of anticipation and clocklike precision. Carts pulled by mule's streak past moving unevenly. The cart owners call out to their mules to move faster. Soon the carts disappear into the distant crowd, the villagers moving out of harm's way as fast as they can. Then there are the six years old and the above 70s who show their physical strength and stamina. A young man pulls a truck with his teeth, a young boy spins on his thumb and one finger while an above 70 wields “mungli”.
| Folklore around Festivals : It was in 1933,Philanthropist Inder Singh Grewal visualised an annual recreational meet where farmers from areas surrounding Kila Raipur could get together and test their corporal endurance. The idea gave birth to Kila Raipur Sports, the undisputed “Rural Olympics”.
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