We had not had an out-of-city outing for long. We happened to find out about the Unified Games started by a Non Resident India many years back in Pingalwara and that the 13th Unified Games were being held Nov 6.

We decided to attend and what fun ! Driving across the majestic water -filled Beas river to be in the glorious land of majha again after nearly two years. We APAARites had not registered for any competitions, but the hosts offered to hold a race for us. Akash excitedly joined. Pawan went over to the start line too with Aman. Two Pingalwara residents joined the impromptu 50 metre race.

Akash won gold ! So happy we all were that moment. 

This outing was unique also for some cultural initiation. None of the staff of APAAR had ever seen gatka, the Sikh martial art so exciting to watch, and needing such expertise by the players as they jump and rotate swords and other metal to music and shouts of Bole So Nihal. A photo of one gatka performance is in the attached photo collage (top). It enlivens like little else.

Some young girl gatka players kindly posed with us as we finished lunch in the lovely gazebo on campus. ( See bottom photo in this attached collage.)

There was Gidda by deaf girls who study on the Pinglawara campus. The sewadars ( attendants ) of the Piara Singh ward performed bhangra, which is always popular and rejuvenating. Many of us in the audience started to dance right where we stood watching under marquees on a bright sunny day of joy and hope for the disabled, the world’s largest minority.

We are so grateful to Bibi Inderjit Kaur, leader of Pingalwara, for such an awesome ecosystem in which that November day ,we felt so welcomed and loved.