Daily Times

Thousands of village folks attended an enthralling bull race held in Bilawal region of Chakri District Rawalpindi.

The event, organised by Col (r) Mushtaq Rasul Chaudhry, 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 the onlookers.

The bull race is especially popular for commemorating the conclusion of the harvest season. The race was the first formal event in the history of the Bilawal region.

The organizers extended great hospitality as per the local traditions and customs. The huge ground wore the look of a festival as stalls of sugar cane juice, almond and lemon drinks, lassi, rohafza and a variety of traditional eatables including jalebi, namakparay, pakoras and French fries were set up. Throughout the race, each team had its own group of dholwalas to encourage the contestants. The crowd also cheered vociferously, creating an electrifying atmosphere.

At the end,awards were presented by Col (r) Mushtaq to the jubilant winners of the race amidst thundering cheers from the crowd, starting from Umrah ticket and going down to two motorcycles, punjali, kharak, etc.

“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,” architect Mariam Ghaznavi said on the occasion. “This challenging and innovative idea has generated tremendous positivity in the area,” she further said, adding that the event has helped portray the true tradition and culture of the rural folk to the outer world.