Mungaru Samskritika Raichur Habba, a three-day annual sports and cultural festival jointly organised by Munnuru Kaapu community, Agriculture Produce and Marketing Committee, Hatti Gold Mines and the Kannada and Culture Department to celebrate “Kara Hunnime”, commenced at Rajendra Gunj in Raichur on Thursday.
Siddalingaswamy of Chowkimutt in Chikkasagur, who flagged off a competition for bullocks pulling a heavy rectangular boulder, appealed to the State government to encourage rural sports.
Expressing concern that desi sports were not being given enough attention, the swamiji lauded the Munnuru Kaapu Society and the former MLA A. Papareddy for organising the event, which is in its 17th year, and protecting an ancient culture of bullocks pulling boulder marking “Kara Hunnime” celebrations. He said that people should join hands in making such sports popular.
Munnuru Kaapu Society president Bellam Narasareddy, leaders of society Shekhar Reddy and Srinivas Reddy, Raichur Urban Development Authority Chairman Jinadappa, Zilla Panchayat member Keshav Reddy, and president of the festivities Pundla Narasareddy were present.
As many 13 pairs of bullocks from various parts of the State participated in the competition as part of the first day’s festivities.
Bullocks belonging to Venkateshwar Rao from Ballari bagged the first prize ₹ 45,000 in cash by pulling a boulder weighing 1.5 tonnes for a distance of 3,399 ft in 15 minutes.
The second prize of ₹ 35,000 in cash went to the bullocks of Sanganagowda from Basavana Bagevadi in Vijayapura district. The bullocks clocked a distance of 2,629 ft in the same time. And, the third prize of ₹ 25,000 in cash was bagged by the bullocks of Vinod from Raichur city, with a distance of 2,309 ft.
