ALL of the sights, sounds smells and games of the 16th Shaheedi Memorial Games brought Griffith to life this weekend with the annual kabaddi tournament being the highlight of the annual event.
Some of the best exponents of the ancient sport in Australia showed purists and curious onlookers what the physical sport was all about during two exciting days of activities.
“We had 10 teams sign up to come, but because of some injuries only eight teams actually took part. The quality was very high from all of the teams here,” Harnek Singh Dhanoa said.
In fact, due to the sudden cold snap causing widespread frosts, officials were forced to delay the start of the tournament with the final games finishing last night spectacularly under lights at Ted Scobie Oval.
The games are organised in the memory and honour of Sikh martyrs who sacrificed their lives for their elite faith and Sikh values of life.
However, the games, which also included tug-o-war, soccer and musical chairs for the ladies, also keeps
alive and promotes the most popular sport of Punjab and the Sikhs in general.
The games are also a great tourist attraction for Griffith with more than 2000 people flocking to Griffith for the annual spectacle.