Islamabad, Feb 10 (IANS) Thousands of people turned up in Pakistan’s Rahim Yar Khan city to watch a unique sport – camel wrestling.
The event took place Wednesday at Ehsanpur where tickets for the event were priced at Rs.200.
‘People in this area wait for this event every few years and large crowds show up for the occasion,’ the Express Tribune quoted Sahil, an event organiser, as saying.
Sadiq, a camel trainer, said it took nearly a year to train a camel for the wrestling matches.
‘We start training the animals quite young. Camel wrestling is a unique sport because it involves a lot of technique…It isn’t like a dog or cock fight where we just unleash the animals at each other.’
Manthar, whose camel won the top prize at the event, said: ‘The animals have been well trained and some of the matches have lasted nearly half an hour with the crowds cheering on throughout.’
The onlookers were happy to witness camel wrestling.
Rahim Yar Khan resident Haji Rehan Shams said: ‘I have brought my entire family to see the dungal (wrestling). This is a traditional sport of the area and I wanted my children to see it.’
The event started after noon and lasted till the evening.
‘Camel wrestling is unique to certain parts of Pakistan and it should be promoted more by the government,’ said a participant Haroon.
