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Dhoti-kurta cricket, commentary in Sanskrit: Unique tournament in MP | Video
Players at the tournament were dressed in dhoti-kurta, with each team wearing kurtas of different colours to clearly identify the teams.
A video going viral on social media showed youths playing cricket in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal. The highlight: they are playing while clad in traditional dhoti-kurtas instead of regular sportswear at a unique tournament on Tuesday.
The video, shared by news agency PTI, showed each team wearing kurtas of different colours. The games are reportedly being held at Ankur Khel Parisar in Bhopal.
Watch the video here :
According to the report, the participants were drawn from “various Vedic universities and schools”.
Even the commentary for the tournament is being done in Sanskrit rather than Hindi or English.
The aim of the ‘dhoti-kurta’ cricket tournament
According to a Free Press Journal report, the cricket tournament is named the Maharshi Maitri Match Cricket Series-6.
The event aims to promote the Sanskrit language and Indian cultural values through sports. This is the sixth year the tournament has been organised, and it has slowly gained popularity among both players and viewers.
The players, representing a total of 27 teams from various parts of Madhya Pradesh, comprise Vedic scholars, Sanskrit students, and ritual priests.
The traditional attire did not seem to hamper the cricketing skills of the players. Instead, skillful play was on display, as evident from the video.
Parshuram Kalyan Board president Pandit Vishnu Rajauria told PTI that the main purpose of the tournament is to create interest in Sanskrit among the younger generation.
He added that sports can be a powerful medium for connecting people with language and tradition.
The final match of the tournament will be played on January 9, and organisers expect a large turnout.
