Sunday 20 September.
The big one.
Hertfordshire Sports Village, Hatfield AL10 9EU. Desk opens 8:30am, opening ceremony 9am, first games 9:15am. Here's how to have a brilliant day.
🕣Arrival
Aim to arrive from 8:30am when the desk opens. Parking is free on site, so no circling the streets. The opening ceremony kicks off at 9am sharp and games follow at 9:15am. Early birds get the warm-up courts.
🎟️Your wristband
Head straight to the desk and collect your colour-coded wristband, one colour per sport, worn all day. No wristband, no play. It's how we keep the draws honest without anyone checking papers at courtside. Lost yours? Come back to the desk.
🎒What to bring
Your racquet or bat; shuttles, balls and pickleball paddles are provided. Football: moulded or plastic-studded boots only on the astro, shin pads strongly recommended. A water bottle saves the queue between games, and changing rooms with showers are on site.
🏆Stay for the trophies
Trophies are presented from 5pm, and last year we handed out 104 of them. Pool winners from the 12th are called first, golf trophies from the 19th are presented too, and the Mahajan Shield is lifted for the very first time. Then the full group photograph.
Sunday, 20 September, hour by hour
Wristbands and first chai
Collect your colour-coded wristband and find your hall. Chai's already on. Late singles entries queue in their own lane and close at 9am sharp.
The opening ceremony
The welcome, the prayer and diya, and the safety announcements. Short by design.
Games begin
Across every hall, court and pitch. Group stages first, so an early wobble isn't the end of your day. Galleries fill by the second game.
The cafeteria's big hour
Chai, food and fresh fruit doing the rounds. The Shield standings go up at lunch, at which point the banter becomes competitive.
The other festival
Yoga on the mats, the games corner, the beanbag lounge, face painting and mehndi for the children. The afternoon also brings youth cricket and the Antakshari. Not everything is a final.
Finals, staggered
So spectators and cameras can actually follow them. The veterans show the juniors how it's done.
Trophies and the Shield
104 last year. Pool and golf winners called too, the Shield lifted for the first time, the full group photograph, and home by six.
🍵Chai, food and family
The cafeteria is open all day, chai from the morning, fresh fruit usually about. Elders get reserved seating with proper backs and shade near the main hall, close to the action and closer to the chai. Knocked out early? The Antakshari, the standings and your mahajan's other players all need supporting.
📋Results as they happen
Every result travels from the court to the control desk and onto the results wall as it happens, so the ceremony never waits on a missing score. One control desk handles every query, schedule change and lost water bottle. If in doubt, ask there.
🩺Looked after, properly
Medical professionals are on site all day, and the form is where we hold every attendee's emergency contact. First aid, safeguarding and lost property all route through the control desk. Safeguarding questions: Ashokbhai Rach, 07956 450895.
📷Only if you want to be seen
Photography consent is asked on the registration form, and anyone who prefers to stay out of photos wears a wristband in a deliberately different, non-sport colour, so our photographers know at a glance.
