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Kila Raipur ‘rural Olympics’: Jam-packed galleries, loud cheers on Day 2 as players show talent
Other events, such as hockey, kabaddi, shot-put throw, tug of war, long jump and Bazigar show, too drew the attention of the visitors, comprising farmers, students, etc.
The bullock cart races, which have returned to the Kila Raipur “rural Olympics” after a gap of 12 years, continued to witness enthusiastic participation by a large number of people amid thunderous applause from spectators on the second day of the games.
Other events, such as hockey, kabaddi, shot-put throw, tug of war, long jump and Bazigar show, too drew the attention of the visitors, comprising farmers, students, etc.
Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan addressed the enthusiastic crowd, hailing the revival of bullock cart races as a historic milestone. “This achievement was made possible through legislative reforms and robust animal welfare safeguards enshrined in the Punjab Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Punjab Amendment) Act, 2025. The return of this iconic sport not only preserves Punjab’s rich cultural heritage but also ignites fresh enthusiasm among the younger generation for traditional rural games,” he said.
The speaker hoped that these events would draw youth back to the grounds, steering them away from drugs and excessive mobile use. He noted the deep emotional bond people share with these games, which help keep Punjab’s culture and heritage alive and intact. “It is our collective responsibility to reconnect the youth with these traditions—especially at a time when reel culture and digital distractions have distanced them from authentic Punjabi roots,” he added.
Jagroop Singh, 71, from the village said, “I have been seeing these games for the last 50 years. For the past 12 years, the games had lost the pull for the rural folk as the main highlight (bullock cart races) was missing. The stadium looked empty earlier. But this year, all stage stands are full.”
For teenagers, the bullock races is something new. “We always heard people talking about how these games would draw people from across the state and even members of the Punjabi diaspora in the West. With the event returning to the village games, I was here all day today as well as yesterday,” said 17-year-old Sulieman Khan.
In long jump, Abhisanash (Haryana), Jagrup (Ropar) and Narendra (Haryana) bagged the top three positions in boys’ category while Dhyan (SBS Nagar), Harleen (Ludhiana) and Dolly (Jalandhar) were first, second and third, respectively, in the girls’ category.
In shotput (boys), Dhanveer Singh (Jalandhar), Watanpreet Singh (Kapurthala) and Diljan Singh (Patiala) proved their mettle. In girls’ category, Jasmine Kaur (Fatehgarh Sahib), Harmandeep Kaur (Ludhiana) and Kritika Gaur (Haryana) showcased their talent by bagging the top three ranks.
In 100 m (boys), Harjit Singh (Jalandhar) stood first, Hukum (Rajasthan) second and Ramadeep (Malerkotla) stood third. In girls category, the top three positions went to Simranjit Kaur (Patiala), Sukhvir (Jalandhar) and Dhyan (Nawanshahr).
In hockey (men) semi-finals, Amargarh defeated Kila Raipur 1-0, and Kurukshetra defeated Raikot 1-0. In hockey women, category the semi-final matches were won by Punjabi University Patiala against Delhi (3-2) and Amritsar against Amargarh (2-1). Similarly, players showed their talent in different categories of kabaddi as well.
