AI Generated Summary
- And while the winners earned the title of Punjab’s most patient sitters, the broader victory, villagers say, is the reminder that stepping away from the digital world — even briefly — can be a meaningful act in itself.
- Despite the demanding rules, 55 people from across Punjab turned up to compete, spurred on by a social media post about the challenge — irony not lost on the organisers or the participants.
- Participants were asked to remain seated in a single spot — no phones, no naps, no stretching their legs, not even a trip to the washroom.
In an age dominated by constant pings, alerts and reflexive scrolling, one Punjab village has chosen a strikingly quiet form of protest. Gholia Khurd, a modest settlement in Moga district, drew statewide attention this week after hosting an unusual endurance event designed to spotlight the growing dependence on mobile phones: an “Idle Sitting Contest.”
The premise was simple enough to state, but remarkably difficult to execute. Participants were asked to remain seated in a single spot — no phones, no naps, no stretching their legs, not even a trip to the washroom. Food and water were permitted, but any movement beyond lifting a hand was grounds for disqualification.
Despite the demanding rules, 55 people from across Punjab turned up to compete, spurred on by a social media post about the challenge — irony not lost on the organisers or the participants. Children, teenagers, adults and elders all gathered with one goal: to stay still longer than anyone else.
As the hours ticked by, interest grew and the crowd thinned. Contestants bowed out one after another, until only two young men remained locked in a battle of patience and resolve. In a feat that astonished the villagers, both Satbir Singh and Lovepreet Singh held their positions for more than 31 uninterrupted hours. Neither ate, slept nor so much as glanced at a mobile phone. With no time cap on the event, organisers ultimately declared them joint champions.
The winners were rewarded with cash prizes, bicycles and jars of desi ghee — a gesture that celebrated not just their endurance, but the message behind it. The announced awards included a new bicycle and ₹4,500 for the first-place winner and ₹2,500 for the runner-up.
For the organisers, the contest was never about competition alone. “We want people to realise that life doesn’t collapse if you stay away from your mobile,” one organiser explained. “You discover peace, time and genuine happiness when you lift your eyes from the screen and reconnect with family.”
The success of the event has generated buzz far beyond the quiet lanes of Gholia Khurd. Locals are already discussing plans for future editions, buoyed by newfound interest from neighbouring villages. And while the winners earned the title of Punjab’s most patient sitters, the broader victory, villagers say, is the reminder that stepping away from the digital world — even briefly — can be a meaningful act in itself.
