The Modern Pythian Games revive a 2,600-year-old tradition, uniting art, culture and sport

Established by the god Apollo in Greek mythology to atone for the killing of a python, the Pythian Games were a celebration of both artistic and athletic excellence — a vibrant fusion of dance, music, poetry, painting, sculpting and chariot racing. Regarded as the world’s oldest cultural games, they were revived in 2022 by Bijender Goel to create a global platform dedicated to art, culture and traditional games.

“The Olympics may be a global platform for sports, but art, culture and indigenous traditions have no such stage. As per mythology, the Pythian Games are the oldest cultural games in the world — so we revived them as the Cultural Games,” says Bijender, founder of the Modern Pythian Games. Bijender first presented the concept at the Delphi Economic Forum in Greece — the very land where the ancient games once began. The first modern Pythian Festival was later held in Delhi, followed by the inaugural National Pythian Games in Panchkula, Haryana. Now, Bengaluru is all set to host the second national edition. The games are divided into eight art categories — music, performance, language, social, visual, architecture and ecology, digital and martial or traditional sports.

Reviving art, culture and sport through the modern Pythian Games

To ensure inclusivity, participation is open to everyone through both online and offline modes. Individuals, clubs and federations can register freely on the portal. “We’ve tried to reach even homemakers who gave up their art or skills after marriage — they can now register and showcase their work globally,” he informs.

When asked about the inspiration behind reviving these games, Bijender says, “During COVID19, I saw artistes struggling — some even took their lives. That really hurt me. I wanted to create a commercial, sustainable global platform for artistes. I brought martial arts and indigenous sports under this model to support artistic events financially. It’s self-sustainable — small registration fees can support large events.”

Broadcasted live on Doordarshan Sports, these games also mark the first time India has acquired historical trademark rights for a global event. “Art, culture and diplomacy form a market worth over 1,000 billion euro. This will help build cultural diplomacy, tourism and employment for Indian artistes. For example, if bharatnatyam becomes an event in the Pythian Games, foreign participants will need Indian gurus — generating employment and promoting our traditions globally,” he adds.

Bijender looks forward to hosting one international event of the Modern Pythian Games for specially-abled people by next year.

Register online or at the venue. November 7 to 9, 10 am onwards. At Bengaluru City University.

Written by: Prishita Tahilramani

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