Located a few kilometers away from the din and bustle of Ludhiana city the Kila Raipur stands tall as one of the Punjab’s traditional villages, which becomes the centre of attraction at the beginning of every year. Yes the village is extremely popular for hosting the famous Kila Raipur Sports Festival often referred to as India’s Rural Olympics in the month of February each year.

Kila Raipur Sports Festival near Ludhiana in Punjab is India’s Rural Olympics

This sports festival is famous for being an arena for some of the world’s most frightening stunts. Can you imagine lifting your bicycles using your teeth? Or riding the same on burnt wheels or using your ears to pull a car? If this sounds scary then you have not witnessed India’s Rural Olympics so far. This annual sporting event is all set to astonish the visitors once again this year from 30th January 2015 to 1st February 2015.

The three day mega sporting event features a lot of games belonging to various genres. The event is aptly suited for the gallant athletes who come to the village from various parts of the globe to showcase their talents and performances. India’s Rural Olympics is open to one and all. Both male and female sportspersons participate in it. Even the veterans are equally welcomed to take part in the event.

The hugely popular octogenarian race or ‘Race for Veterans’ inspires millions of the spectators watching the game with a fresh energy and zeal. Each veteran participant in the race is treated with utmost respect and admiration. Undisputedly they are the real heroes who defy their age with a strong determination to succeed.

A lot of spectacular cultural programs are held on this occasion. They continue until midnight in all the three days of the festival. The mesmerizing dancing of the folk dancers at night completely spell bound the audiences and visitors alike. Definitely the Kila Raipur Sports Festival is more than a sporting event. It acquaints the visitors with the glorious Punjabi culture as well.

The history of this eight decades old sports festival is as much interesting as the event itself. In 1933 the philanthropist Inder Singh Grewal is considered to be the man who initiated the concept of the Rural Olympics in India. Basically, his idea was to gauge the physical strength, stamina and will power of the farmers in the Kila Raipur Village and bring them together on a single platform. Since then the event has continued to be held in the village each year during the month of February for the last eighty years in a row. The event still holds a special place in the hearts of the farmers in Punjab.

Some of the world’s best traditional games are organized during this landmark sports festival of India. This includes the camel race, dog race, tractor race and horse dance to name a few. All these games are very exciting and equally fascinating as well. Around millions of spectators traveled to the historic Kila Raipur Village to view some of the eccentric performance of the participants in front of their eyes.

Image Courtesy: Ritam Banerjee

Tags: Camel Race, Dog Race, Horse Dance, Inder Singh Grewal, Kila Raipur, Ludhiana, Punjab, Rural Olympics, Sport, Sports, Sports Festival, Tractor Race