Nearly 20,000 spectators and participants from all over Australia and overseas are expected to turn up for the annual Griffith Sikh Games over two days.
The event includes sports and cultural activities with teams from across Australia. 
The games first began over two decades ago to commemorate the ‘Martyrs’ of the Sikhs - from the fifth Sikh Guru- Arjan Dev back in the 17th century to those killed in the Golden Temple during 1984 Operation Blue Star when the Indian Army stormed the Sikhism’s holiest shrines to flush out armed Sikh militia.
Source: SBS
Source: SBS
Over the years, the tournament- organised every year on the Queen's birthday weekend in June - has become an essential part of not just Australia’s Sikh events but also Griffith’s annual calendar with the Griffith City Council involved in organising it.
Kabaddi, a sport mostly played in rural India is the biggest crowd puller of all, but there's also Football, Tug-O-War, Volleyball as well as Athletics for all ages including children.
While the sporting events pull huge crowds, free vegetarian meals and snacks are also served to tens of thousands throughout the duration of the event.
Source: SBS
Mintu Brar, a Punjabi journalist from Adelaide said though the tournament has a historical significance, it has become a nucleus for the Australian Sikh community.
“People wait for this event so that they can gather in Griffith and meet up with the community members from other parts of the country,” he told SBS Punjabi.
He says it’s also an opportunity for matchmakers.
Source: SBS
“After the tournament every year, tens of marriages of Punjabi Sikhs across Australia take place that were discussed and finalised here”.
