Jarkhar: ‘Mecca’ of rural sports
The Jarkhar Sports Festival, which began nearly four decades ago, has grown into one of the most significant annual events for rural sports enthusiasts. Held in the quaint village of Jarkhar, located 15 km from Ludhiana on the Ludhiana-Malerkotla road, this festival has become a beacon for promoting sports in rural India.
Started in 1986 with a modest budget of Rs 1,200 on a small playground, the festival has evolved into a major event with widespread popularity. Over the years, it has drawn participants and spectators from neighbouring villages and districts, fostering competition, sportsmanship, and community spirit.
Today, the event is held at the Mata Sahib Kaur Sports Complex, a state-of-the-art stadium built at a cost of Rs 6 crore, equipped with modern facilities to host various sports.
The festival features a diverse range of sports, from traditional games to Olympic disciplines, including kabaddi, wrestling, hockey, volleyball, handball, basketball, cycling, tug-of-war, and athletics. Due to its wide scope, it has earned the nickname “Modern Rural Mini Olympics.”
The Mata Sahib Kaur Sports Complex is equipped with three large podiums, over 30 rooms, a gym, a photo gallery, a high-tech office, and a studio room. It is the only stadium in the region with floodlights, allowing spectators to watch six different games (hockey, kabaddi, football, basketball, athletics, and handball) simultaneously from any corner of the venue. The stadium also boasts a blue-coloured Astroturf surface, used for events like the annual sports festival and the Prithipal Singh Memorial Hockey League.
The Mata Sahib Kaur Sports and Charitable Trust, which organises the festival, has installed life-size statues of legendary sports figures such as the Flying Sikh Milkha Singh, hockey great Major Dhyan Chand, Olympians Prithipal Singh, Surjit Singh, and Udham Singh, sports promoter Amarjit Singh Grewal, and kabaddi star Manak Jodhan.
Jagroop Singh Jarkhar, the chief organiser of the Jarkhar Sports Festival, shared that the festival also led to the establishment of the Jarkhar Hockey Academy in April 2006. The academy provides training for talented players from underprivileged families, with over 300 players having honed their skills over the past decade. Currently, 80 aspiring hockey players are receiving coaching, and many academy graduates have gone on to play in various tournaments or secured government jobs under the sports quota.
“Over 60 players from the academy have participated in different-level tournaments, and around 40 trainees have secured government jobs so far,” said the academy’s director, Jagroop Singh.
In addition to its sporting events, the Jarkhar Sports Festival has also become a cultural hub, attracting some of the biggest names in Punjabi music over the years. Artists like Gurdas Mann, Harbhajan Mann, Diljit Dosanjh, Jazzy B, Manmohan Waris, Debi Makhsoospuri, Harjit Harman, Kanwar Grewal, and others have graced the stage, adding an extra layer of excitement and entertainment to the event.
The festival’s success has not only promoted sports but also helped preserve traditional rural games, which are an integral part of India’s cultural heritage. By providing a platform for rural youth to showcase their talents, the Jarkhar Sports Festival has inspired many to pursue careers in sports, making it a must-visit event for both sports and music lovers.
