A BRADFORD filmmaker is showcasing a documentary and exhibition about a Sikh festival in India in the city.

Darshan Singh, 37, of Wrose, Shipley, will screen his film and show photographs on the Hala Mahalla festival at Kala Sangam Arts Centre in Bradford from April 6 to May 31.

Hola Mahalla is a week-long festival which takes place annually in India during the country's second day of the lunar month of Chett, which usually falls in March.

Dubbed as the Sikh Olympics, it involves sword fights, daring horse stunts, including on person riding on two horses at the same time, and spiritualism.

Mr Singh, who is a Sikh, travelled to Anandpur Sahib 'The City of Bliss' and the Holy city of the Sikhs.

Running since the 17th century, the festival features the spiritual and warrior side of the Sikh faith through a series of events.

The free exhibition, called 'Hola Mahalla: The Forgotten Festival', also held at Kala Sangam, will feature 20 A2-sized prints and original artwork to show how colourful the festival is.

It is estimated more than a million people travel from India and all over the world to rural Punjab, to witness the festival. This year's event took place on March 7.

A free screening of Mr Singh's 45-minute documentary will also take place at Kala Sangam, St Peter's Square, Forster Square, on Saturday, April 18, from 6.30pm.

His project was funded by a Kickstarter project, which raised £3,699 from 52 backers online by February last year.

Kickstarter is the world's largest funding platform for creative projects, including film, music, art and photography.

Mr Singh said he was amazed by what he witnessed at the festival.

He said: "I went to the festival to film it over two years, in 2011 and 2012.

"Wow was the word I said frequently while I was there. There were loads of spectacular things going on.

"I thought it was amazing to see it. It felt like I was watching a snapshot of history.

"I felt like I had stepped back in history to see it.

"Very rarely have I seen anything like that. I have never experienced anything like that before.

"I was not aware of the festival until a few years ago when I got involved in the project.

"It was a good subject to do a documentary about. I have never experienced anything like it.

"Over the past couple of weeks, we have carried out a few test screenings of the documentary and received some great feedback."

For more information, go to holamahalla.com. To book screening tickets, go to kalasangam.org.