Enthralling bull race attracts thousands of village folks

Rawalpindi: A colossal bull race held in Bilawal region of Chakri District Rawalpindi (65 km from Islamabad) was organised by Col (r) Mushtaq Rasul Chaudhry last day, says a press release.The event was attended by more than 30,000 rural folks from 17 adjoining villages as well as spectators and dignitaries with men and women alike. The villagers were ecstatic to display the might and speed of their bulls generating tremendous entertainment, excitement and festivity among the farmers and onlookers.The Bull race is especially popular for commemorating the conclusion of the harvest season. Upon the request of the villagers, Col. (r) Mushtaq Rasul Chaudhry engaged himself in tireless efforts to level the undulating fields of the Potohar region, setting up a meticulous ground, unlike anything the villagers had ever seen before! The race was the first formal event in the history of Bilawal.Col. Mushtaq and his team extended great hospitality as per the local tradition and customs. Even fully decorated camels were presented to enthrall the audience. The huge ground wore a look of a festival as stalls of sugar cane juice, almond and lemon drinks, ‘lassi’, ‘roh afza’ and a variety of eatables i.e. ‘jalebi’, ‘namak paray’, ‘pakoras’ and french-fries were set up. Throughout the race, each team had its own group of ‘dhol wala’s to encourage their teams. The crowd also cheered vociferously, creating an electrifying atmosphere.At the end, generous awards were presented by Col. Mushtaq, to the jubilant winners of the race amidst thundering cheers from the crowd, starting from umrah ticket and going down to 2 motorcycles, ‘punjali, kharak’ etc. Clips from the event have hit more than 34,000 views on VoA. The cultural event has also been featured by the French Press (AFP). Videos and photographs from the event continue to awe many people locally and internationally, apprising people about the courageous sport of Pakistani farmers.Architect Mariam Ghaznavi said “I feel compelled to appreciate this initiative undertaken by Col. (r) Mushtaq Rasul Chaudhry, who has proven himself as a proponent of rural folk and runs many charity and welfare programs for the underprivileged across a vast rural belt. His challenging and innovative idea has generated tremendous positivity in the international media and locally”. She further said that Col. (r) Mushtaq has portrayed the true tradition and virsa of our rural farmers to the world. He has set the path for us to attract tourists at our local festivals. Something that must be encouraged and promoted for peace, harmony and intercultural understanding.

from The News International - Islamabad https://ift.tt/2Xw2pEl