Kila Raipur Sports Festival

Having earned a sobriquet of ‘Rural Olympics’, Kila Raipur Sports Festival has given much reason for the namesake town to have rapidly shot up on the list of places one must see in Punjab. Otherwise associated with bright turbaned surdars, swaying green fields, a Gurudwara at every bend and warm hospitality, Punjab has another stripe on the tourism front with this offbeat festival.

Expect to witness the best of Punjab’s rural sports that could include mainstream athletics or an absolutely new take on sports- think racing of camels, dogs and bulls. Apart from this, local games like ghaggar phissi (withstanding a pile up of people on top of the participant), kabbadi and tug of war are used to showcase physical prowess. The idea dates back to a time when it was introduced to improve the strength for cultivation. Guru Hargobindji, a Sikh leader started the tradition of mud wresting between local boys so that they would become hardier and be able to work in fields. The festival took shape from one of those annual wrestling matches and have now become sports festival like none other.

Music, dance and local cuisine hand in hand with a festival. At Kila Raipur, you can get a 360-degree immersion into Punjabi lifestyle.

Best Cities: Kila Raipur
Month: February