SAMBALPUR: In a novel initiative, a 30-year-old YouTuber hosted a rooster catching contest in his native Andhari village in Kayakud gram panchayat of Jujumura block to unite locals during good and bad times.
The competition was organised earlier this week by Sanjib Biswal, who also runs a shop in the village. “Every year, locals working outside come back to their villages for the festival. While on the day of Nuakhai, all of us celebrate with our families, those working outside leave soon after the festival. As we do not get to meet them after the festival, I decided to host the competition a few days earlier so that everyone in the village gets to meet each other and participate in something that they could take back as a memory.”
The competition was organised at the school field in the village and was highlighted through social media. In a bid to draw a large number of participants and audience, Biswal made extensive announcements for around three days before the event. It worked as people from different villages thronged the school field to witness the competition where as many as 44 participants showcased their skills. The winners were awarded the roosters they had managed to catch and a trophy.
As per the rules set by Biswal, the participants were divided into four groups and each team was made to chase and catch four roosters in the first round.
Subsequently, 16 participants qualified for the second round and six for the third and the last round who were made to chase three roosters. The first three persons to catch the birds emerged winners.
In 2021, to cheer up people amid the Covid-19 gloom, Biswal had organised a crab-catching competition and later hosted a feast for the villagers ahead of Nuakhai.