State tourism development and promotion authority – Gujarat Tourism, on Saturday organized camel race and camel decoration competitions at Katyok fair in Sidhhpur for the first time.

Total nine camels participated in race event and four in decoration competition. Harunkhan Iliyaskhan Pathan won Rs. 10,000 first prize in camel race followd by Jaamalbhai Rahimkhan Pathan and Majirana Amrutbhai who won Rs. 7,500 and Rs. 5,000 respectively. All three winners of camel race belong to Badmer, Rajasthan. They come to Siddhpur fair for camel trade instead of nearby and very well-known Pushkar fair in Rajasthan.

In decoration competition, Vishnubhai Lalabhai Raval(Mesar, Patan) bagged first prize of Rs. 10,000 followed by Bharatbhai Galabhai(Lalpur) and Shravankumar Thakararam(Badmer, Rajasthan) who won Rs. 7,500 and 5,000 prize respectively.

State Health and Tourism minister Jaynarayan Vyas who is also MLA of Siddhpur was present here during the event. He said, more Gujarati traditional rural sport competitions such as games of Kabbadi, Khokho, Limbu Chamcho etc will be organized in Katyok fair in future.

Siddhpur fair attracts lakhs of visitors on Kartiki Purnima(mostly October-November) every year in north Gujarat’s Siddhpur town. Thousands of camels are traded in this fair. Camel traders and owners come from north Gujarat and southern Rajasthan. The fair continues for five days around Kartiki Purnima every year in riverbed of Saraswati. Trade of horses also take place during Siddhpur fair in comparatively fewer numbers.