https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Natkhat_Khel_MahotsavNatkhat Khel Mahotsav - Revision history2026-08-20T17:10:31ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Natkhat_Khel_Mahotsav&diff=521170&oldid=prevNiishad Shetty: put up new article2025-08-03T14:45:03Z<p>put up new article</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Annual sport festival in Bihar, India}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2025}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2025}}<br />
'''Natkhat Khel Mahotsav'''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bhaskar.com/local/bihar/saharsa/kahra/news/natkhat-sports-festival-begins-more-than-6-thousand-players-from-the-state-participate-womens-kabaddi-will-be-the-main-attraction-133515244.html|title=Natkhat Sports Festival begins, more than 6 thousand players from the state participate, women's Kabaddi will be the main attraction &#124; नटखट खेल महोत्सव शुरू, राज्य से 6 हजार से अधिक खिलाड़ी शामिल, महिला कबड्डी होगा मुख्य आकर्षण - Kahra News}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.amarujala.com/bihar/kosi/saharsa-news-preparations-for-shri-krishnashtami-mela-2024-started-five-day-natkhat-sports-festival-2024-08-06 | title=Bihar News: सहरसा में श्री कृष्णाष्टमी मेला 2024 की तैयारी शुरू, पांच दिवसीय नटखट खेल महोत्सव भी होगा आयोजित }}</ref> is an annually held multi-sports event held in [[Bangaon Village|Bangaon]], [[Saharsa]], [[Bihar]], [[India]].<br />
==Beginning of the event==<br />
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In [[Bangaon Village|Bangaon]], Krishnashtami fair is a much celebrated event during which, traditionally, wrestling was played by the village elders just prior to idol immersion. In continuation of this sports practice, some village youths, started a multi-sports event coinciding with this fair in the year of 2021 with Kabbadi being the prime sports of the event<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.jagran.com/bihar/saharsa-sport-in-saharsa-22988317.html | title=नटखट खेल महोत्सव में प्रादेशिक गोल्ड कप कबड्डी शुरू - नटखट खेल महोत्सव में प्रादेशिक गोल्ड कप कबड्डी शुरू - Bihar Saharsa Local News }}</ref> along with other sports event such as Volleyball.<ref name="auto">{{cite web | url=https://dailybihar.in/13052/ | title=नटखट खेल महोत्सव: पहले दिन का रोमांचक आगाज और खेल प्रेमियों में उत्साह चरम पर }}</ref> A major focus of this event is to encourage youth participation, with a particular focus on women's sports and bring forth rural talent on the state and national platform.<ref name="auto"/> The most recent edition (2024) of this festival saw Female Kabbadi as the prime focus of the festival which was declared as a state level tournament of the Government. <br />
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==History and background==<br />
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The festival originated as part of the Shri Krishna Janmashtami Mela, initially a small community event in [[Bangaon Village|Bangaon]]. Over the years, the event has gradually into one of the largest sports festivals of [[Bihar]], transitioning from a local fair to a state-level sports event. This annual event was established with the mission to revive traditional Indian sports and provide a platform for emerging athletes from rural setup who do not have enough reach to showcase their talent at state and national platforms.<br />
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The inaugural event (started in 2021) saw participation of 489 athletes representing 12 districts of [[Bihar]] in which they took part in 16 sporting events, including kabaddi (for both boys and girls), chess, cart racing, solah gadhia, bridge, track and field events, and cycling races to name a few. In 2022, it saw overwhelming participation from the entire [[Mithilanchal]], [[Seemanchal]], and [[Anga (region)|Ang]] regions of the state, with over 5,000 sports personnel<ref>[https://www.bhaskar.com/local/bihar/saharsa/kahra/news/natkhat-sports-festival-begins-more-than-6-thousand-players-from-the-state-participate-womens-kabaddi-will-be-the-main-attraction-133515244.html bhaskar.com]</ref> representing 32 districts of the state. In this event,state Gold Cup Kabbadi was launched in the presence of national coach Rana Ranjit Sigh.<ref>{{Cite web | title=नटखट खेल महोत्सव में प्रादेशिक गोल्ड कप कबड्डी शुरू - sport in saharsa | url=https://www.jagran.com/bihar/saharsa-sport-in-saharsa-22988317.html | access-date=2025-08-03 | website=www.jagran.com}}</ref> state Gold Cup Kabaddi By 2024, it had evolved into a statewide event with the inclusion of the Bihar State Women's Kabaddi Championship.<ref>[https://www.bhaskar.com/local/bihar/saharsa/kahra/news/natkhat-sports-festival-begins-more-than-6-thousand-players-from-the-state-participate-womens-kabaddi-will-be-the-main-attraction-133515244.html bhaskar.com]</ref><br />
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==References==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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[[Category:Annual events in India]]<br />
[[Category:Saharsa]]<br />
[[Category:Sport in Bihar]]</div>Niishad Shetty