Girls take part in khapara dian (top) and skipping at the traditional sports competition in Berhampur on Friday. Pictures by Gopal Krishna Reddy

Berhampur, Oct. 7: Traditional sports that were once the best form of entertainment for girls in rural areas, have almost faded away with time. But a competition organised exclusively for girls in the city on Friday explored the love for these games among the participants even today.

Organised by the 12-year-old Madhu-Maya Panigrahi Foundation, the event thrilled the players and viewers alike.

From throwing stones with toes and then hopping and picking them with toes again to skipping or twisting to the tune of folk songs, the girls enjoyed themselves thoroughly during the competition.

“We organised a traditional rural sports competition for girls last year. That was an experiment for the first time in Berhampur. This year, the competition was held in four different categories — khapara dian, daudi dian, puchi and thia puchi. The response for this traditional rural sport is very impressive. Last year, 40 women from different age groups participated and this year the number has crossed 80. Girls from 15 schools have participated this year,” said Suhrud Panigrahi, one of the organisers.

Five physical instructors of different educational institutions of the Silk City had volunteered to conduct the one because they were impressed with the competition held last year. International power lifter Ranu Mahanty, who attended the traditional rural sports competition for girls as chief guest, lauded the organisers for the initiative.

“I am a power lifter, but rural games were the basics that helped me prepare mentally and physically for a higher level of sports,” Ranu said.

Niha Nayak and Barsha Malick jointly stood first in khapara dian, Prativa Behera emerged winner in daudi dian, Kamini Sethi stood first in puchi and Niha, Simon, Sanhita, Pragati and Minakshi were adjudged the best five girls in thia puchi. The top three performers in all these four events would perform at a cultural programme titled Thia puchi naranga, goda deita saranga, a cultural extravaganza to be held on the occasion of Kumara Purnima celebrations at Town Hall here on the evening of October 11.