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Anandappalli Maramadi - Bull Surfing or Bull Race

The bull surfing or Maramadi or bull race is a post harvest event held in the villages of Kerala state, India. The paddy fields or kandams will be freshly ploughed and a separate track will be created for the race.
 
Once the race begins, the muddy, splashy field turns into a real stadium. This event is highly competitive and thrilling so that the villagers gather in large numbers around the field and cheer the participants.
 
A pair of yoked oxen managed by three persons forms a participating unit. Nearly thirty such units participate in the race which starts at noon and continues up to dusk.
 
This video clip was shot at Anandhapalli village in Pathanamthitta district during the annual Maramadi festival in the month of August.
The oxen participating in these races are specially fed and trained at a cost of around ten thousand rupees per pair.