How Balali village threw an epic reception for Vinesh Phogat

Ace wrestler Vinesh Phogat may not have won a medal at the Paris Olympics, but she emerged as India's most celebrated athlete upon her return home.

When she returned to her village of Balali, Haryana, from the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, a large crowd gathered along the roadside to greet her.

A vocal reception

People were ecstatic. They cheered her with slogans, showered her with rose petals, and draped her in marigold garlands.

The outpouring of love was so immense that the journey, which usually takes three hours, stretched to 13 hours as fans swarmed her open-top SUV, waiting to catch a glimpse of their beloved wrestler.

Vinesh was the last Indian athlete to return home, having stayed back in Paris to await the verdict of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

She had challenged her disqualification from the Olympics ahead of her 50kg gold medal bout for being just 100 grams overweight. Unfortunately, her appeal was dismissed last week, dashing her hopes of winning a joint silver medal.

The heartbreak and disappointment were visible on her face as she exited the airport, her eyes puffed and her hair disheveled.

However, despite her medal-less campaign in Paris, the people of Balali greeted her with immense love and affection to make her arrival memorable.

Vinesh had been the standout wrestler in her weight category.

She ended Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Yui Susaki's 82-match unbeaten streak in the first round. She defeated Ukraine's Oksana Livach in the next round and Yusneylys Guzmán in the semifinals, becoming the first Indian woman to reach an Olympic wrestling final.

Though her dream of winning gold remained unfulfilled as she was disqualified before her gold medal bout, Balali celebrated her unbeaten campaign with sheer enthusiasm and vigour.

Vinesh arrived home at the stroke of midnight with her uncle Mahavir Phogat welcoming her back to the village. Exhausted from the long journey, she found her villagers still unwilling to let her rest.

A village up at night

Tents were set up to shield the crowd from the rain.

The women of the village blessed her and the elders waited for hours to see her, and an overwhelmed Vinesh greeted them with folded hands.

They wanted to honour their daughter, who, they said, had brought pride not only to Haryana but to all of India.

After stepping out of the village, Vinesh offered her prayers at the village's most sacred temple.

When Vinesh stepped onto the makeshift stage under the tents, a local singer raised her hand and declared, "You are the gold medal of these people. You are in their hearts."

The joy of the wrestler's arrival was unbridled as the village wore a festive look.

The villagers prepared 750kg laddoos and fritters, serving them with tea as songs and rhymes filled the air.

The spotlight remained on Vinesh as hundreds of cameras flashed, capturing the poignant scene. Posters hailing Vinesh adorned trees and electric poles, while tractors were decorated with banners in her honour.

"Vinesh, you did not lose the battle. You won the battle of life and the mat," read one of the posters as the DJ blared the music.

"World champion Vinesh, you are an inspiration to millions of Indians. We are proud of you. You are not only the pride of Haryana but also of India," proclaimed another.

Meanwhile, the DJ hailed Vinesh's fighting spirit playing a song: "Khoob laaree tu laado raanee, duniya kahegee tujhe jhaansee kee raanee". It means: "My dear, you fought so well that the world will call you the Queen of Jhansi."

Even though it was late at night, people from neighbouring states like Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan thronged Balali to join the festivities.

Finally, the entire village, including the sarpanch, village head, and sportspersons, settled under the tents to felicitate Vinesh with flowers, ghee, photographs, and cash rewards.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Vinesh said, "The way my village has honoured me today, I will always be indebted to them. The love people have given me is more than 1000 gold medals. I don't think I'll ever be able to repay this debt."