Kerala’s Nilambur swaps bulls for roaring wheels in first-ever Vandippoottu | WATCH

Nilambur (Kerala): Karulai witnessed the district’s first-ever ‘Vandippoottu’ (vehicle mud pulling) competition on Sunday, a thrilling off-road event that saw around 40 vehicles take part. The event, held at Varikkal Padam in Karulai, drew large crowds from across the district.

The term ‘Vandippoottu’ traditionally refers to preparing the field for paddy cultivation. Earlier, bulls were used for this purpose. In a modern twist, four-wheelers replaced bullocks for the competition, highlighting the evolving nature of local traditions.

The event was organised by the Nilambur Tourism Organisation in collaboration with the adventure tourism club ‘Wild Wheels’. Participants included a diverse group, featuring one woman and four members of a single family. The competition formed part of the Nilambur Tourism Conclave.

Nilambur MLA Aryadan Shoukath officially inaugurated the race by driving an off-road vehicle. His first attempt saw the vehicle stuck in the mud, requiring a tractor to pull it out. He later completed the inauguration successfully in another vehicle.

The MLA said, “I am inaugurating the ‘Wild Wheels’ competition organised by Nilambur Tourism Organisation. This is the first time we are experiencing this kind of competition. More than 500 people have gathered to watch the competition. People all over Kerala have participated in this event. We are confident of attracting people all over the country to watch this event. Earlier, we have witnessed similar events using bullock carts ‘Kalappoottu’. This time, four-wheelers has been used for the first time.”

He added that events like the ‘Vandippoottu’ race boost tourism and called for more projects to promote adventure tourism in the region.

Trophies and social media buzz

Karulai Panchayat President Jayasree Ancherian presented trophies to the winners securing the first, second, and third places. Visuals from the event have emerged on social media, drawing attention to Nilambur’s unique tourism offerings.

With ANI inputs