No losers in Udupi’s monsoon games

NRIs, jaded city folk enjoy colourful paddy field races

In Karnataka’s Tulu heartland, the monsoon sets the stage for the stress buster every year – games played in the slushy paddy fields, followed by a meal rich in local cuisine.

Kesard Onji Dina (A day in the slush) is a sports event organised in the empty paddy fields, attracting people from far and wide. Sunday was perfect for enthusiasts in Alevoor village near Udupi, as it had rained heavily. The traditional sport, which has seen a revival recently, was launched with a lot of gaiety.

Visitors from abroad

In recent years, the day of games has drawn a large number of participants and visitors from cities like Bengaluru, and some even from abroad.

The village wore a festive look soon after it was decided to host the event, Tulu music blaring and children playing in the slush. The fields turned into a sports arena.

Races featured events like running and running backwards. People cheered and watched with amusement as participants who had no solid ground to tread tried to run, and fell, while some made it to the finish line. Then it was time for a tug-of-war.

The climactic event was the human pyramids formed in the muck, and the pot dangling from a rope at the top waiting to be broken.

People watched with bated breath as a small boy climbed on top of the pyramid to reach the pot, and broke into wild applause when he made it.

Rustic charm

Ullas Kumar, an engineer with Larsen and Toubro from Bengaluru, says he has been coming for four years now. “You cannot get this kind of entertainment in Bengaluru. When I participate, I remember my childhood days,” he said. Ranjit R. Naik, a student in Bengaluru, describes it as an “antidote to the stress of fast-paced life.”

Rani Shetty, who belongs to Alevoor and now lives in Norway, says this is her second visit, and she finds the games “a great event, especially for children.”

For Prashanthi Shetty, a teacher at Delhi Public School, Mangaluru, such events expose children to rural culture and sports. “We need more of these or children will not think beyond information technology and biotechnology,” she says.