COCK FIGHTING – A TRADITIONAL SPORTS IN JHARKHAND
Dr.Babalu Sundi, TVO.
Jharkhand occupies a very important place in tribal India. It occupies third position in term of absolute member of tribal population in India with 70 lakh tribal population. These tribal communities live in ecologically marginal areas and mostly concentrated in the hilly areas of the countries.
Jharkhand is the cultural name given to the forested upland geographically known as the Chhotanagpur Plateau. “In its physical features, in its geological formation, in its botanical products and ire its mineral wealth, in its ethnological peculiarities, in its social and political history,
Jharkhand is a state of mela (fair). Markets are held almost every day in one village or the other, where tribal men and women buy things of their daily use. Modernity has not been able to diminish the charm of melas.
And no village fair is complete without cockfights. When the winter bids adieu to the tribal land of deep forests and high hills and Sun takes his northward journey (uttarayan), the feathers start flying in rural Jharkhand. After savouring ‘Dahi-Chura’ (curd and flatten rice) on the Makar Sankranti day the tribals get ready for the great event of ‘Murga-larhaiyee’ (cockfight). Normally Sundays are favoured day for the fight but cockfights can been seen on any market day. A unique thing about this game, however, is that the cockfight is not equally popular in the tribal zones in Bihar.
Preparations for the cockfight ‘olympiads’ begin quite in advance. Cocks are chosen meticulously and fed well for at least one year. When the rooster is ready for the fight, he is trained in the ‘art and science’ of the fight. Mock fights are arranged to train and also test the prowess of the cock. Thus selected bird is given ‘royal food’ for some months before the D-day.
On the actual ‘battle day’ participants bring their cocks to the ‘battle field’. Many people bet on the ‘fighters’. The bird with the superior fighting skill is the most favoured for the betting. The bets, at times, run into four figures. Each owner picks up a guide usually an expert in conducting cockfights. This battle becomes bloody as the guides tie a knife on to the birds’ legs before taking them to the battleground. They also prompt birds (through their gesture and posture) to hit the adversary at the right place so that it is injured. The razor-sharp knives injure the birds to death.
According to rules, the fight continues till either one bird runs away in fright, or bleeds to death. The guide of the winning rooster usually gets a cash award, ranging from Rs 100 to 200, while the owner takes the defeated cock home to feast upon. The cock-owner also gets a part of the bet money.
Over the years the cockfight has graduated from hobby to a regular trade. Some moneyed people also participate in the game as a ‘pass time game’. They buy roosters from poor tribals, who have prepared the bird for the great fight. Inflation has taken its toll. While the small birds would cost at least Rs 2,000, the bigger cocks with superior fighting skills would cost nothing less than Rs 15,000
Villagers in Jharkhand generally organise the traditional sport of cockfighting to mark the end of celebrations of their harvest season.
A cockfight is a blood sport between two rosters, held in a ring called cockpit. In Jharkhand, cockfighting is associated with harvest festival ‘Tusu’, which often witnesses people of all ages enjoying the game of blood and gore. Cockfighting has emerged to be one of the most favoured entertainments for the villagers who reside in the remote forest areas and have negligible access to cinema or television. Cock fighting is a popular traditional game in Jharkhand region ,This game is regionally known as “pada” and the spurs are called “kant”.
After cutting the crops, they organise cockfight with great enthusiasm. In this game, the birds fight with each other often till the death, as the surrounding crowd cheer and exchange money with each winning stroke. The villagers believe that the rooster who wins the fight brings happiness and prosperity for their master’s family. Hundreds of villagers assemble in the local village hat or market to watch the specially bred birds, referred to as gamecocks, fight. For the game of cockfighting, the natural spurs of the roosters are sawed off and replaced by razor sharp steel blades and they are also given drugs to maximise their aggression and stamina. During a typical cockfight tournament, a third to a half of the birds is killed. The few lucky ones who survive suffer severe injuries including broken wings, punctured lungs and gouged eyes. The tribal ‘Tusu’ harvest festival begins after northern India;s harvest festival called ‘Makar Sankranti’ comes to an end. ‘Tusu’ always begins on January 15 every year. The actual fight may last anything from less than a minute to over 30 minutes, until one of the two dies or is unable to fight any more. The knives are so sharp and dangerous that cockfighters themselves have been badly injured or killed when accidentally slashed by their own birds. Much preparation is done in advance and the birds are mentally charged up for the fighting day. They are starved and kept in a dark room to make them short tempered. Apart from the training, these birds are famously pampered. They need to be fed well – with corn, wheat, fish, rice and meat. Some keepers even indulge them with cashew, almonds and eggs for more strength.
Cockfighting is concentrated in north eastern and southern states of India. This traditional game in India is popular in the Indian states like Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Assam and some parts of West Bengal and Chhattisgarh.
In Tamil Language, cock fighting is known as “Vetrukkaal seval porr” It is known as “Kodi Pandem” in Telugu language and “Kori katta” in Tulu language.
Cock fighting in Southern India ———–
Cock fighting is a favourite sport of people living in the coastal region of Andhra Pradesh, Dakshina Kannada District and Udupi district of Tulu Nadu region of Karnataka, and the state of Tamil Nadu. There are three or four-inch blades attached to the cocks’ feet. The knockout fights to the death are widely practiced in Andhra Pradesh. In Tamil Nadu, the winner is decided after three or four rounds. The people watch with intense interest surrounding the cocks. The sport has gradually become a gambling sport in some parts of southern India. In Tamil Nadu, Chennai, Thanjavur District, Tiruchirapalli District, Trichy and Salem District, only naked heel sport is performed. In Erode District, Tiruppur District, Karur District and Coimbatore district only bloody blade fights are conducted. During festival seasons, especially in Makar Sankranti times, this is the major game for men. Women normally do not participate in this game. There are many rare breeds preserved by these cockfighters.
Cock fighting in Chhattisgarh ——–
This game is popular in tribal belts of Dantewada District of Chhattisgarh. People mostly used this game as the part of spirit and the war between the two roosters.
Cock fighting in North Eastern States ————–
Cock fighting is popular in northeastern states of India like Assam, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland. Nagaland is the land of cock fighters. This sport in Nagaland and other northeastern states consists of kicking solely with the legs of the roosters. It is quite similar with Tae-Kwan-Do. In Nagaland, tourists also enjoy the cock fighting and now it is the part of tourism promotion.
Cockfighting in Madhya Pradesh ————-
Cock fighting is also dominant in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The region of Madhya Pradesh is the locale of fairs and festivals, which also became its style mantra. Apart from celebrating all other Indian festivals like Holi, Dussehra, the tribal festivals and fairs are also observed in full vigour and merrymaking. The revelry, drinks and alien amusement like cock fighting, dancing, label these tribal festivals in Madhya Pradesh. Here cock fighting is hosted with intense sponsorships of the local businessmen.
Religious Significance of Cock fighting in India ————–
Cockfights in India are accurately expressed as secular cockfight. It is an intense sport, recreation, or pastime game in India. But this cock fights has ancient religious significance. It is a ritual and a sacred ceremony, associated with the ‘daivasthanams’ (temples) and held at the temples precincts of southern part of India. The ‘kozhi kettu’ is a part of the temple rituals.
Indian Literature and Cock fighting ————
The history of raising fowl for fighting goes back thousands of years and despite regulations, cockfighting continues to entertain the masses in many parts of the world, including India. Many archaeologists claim that chickens were first domesticated not for eating but for cockfighting.
The cockfighting in Tamil Nadu is mentioned in ancient literature like Manu Needhi Sastiram, Kattu Seval Sastiram and other Sangam Literature of Tamil Nadu that are 2,000 years old. In early days, fights were arranged with the jungle fowl and its variants. Later, the kings of Chola Dynasty and Pandyan kings undertook many naval expeditions to Java and Malay and the game later spread to many countries of South East Asia like Malaya Peninsular, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Indonesia.
Although we know that the cock fighting is an offence as per the PAC ACT and regulations of AWBI, My intention with this article is not to encourage such activity but let the people around world know the customs and tradition of these tribal people with respect to Deshi fowl . personally I have seen many uneducated but highly experienced tribal peoples who are engaged in breeding, selection and up grading of such fowls which are used for cockfighting. These tribal people dnt know the name n theory of Mendel nor having knowledge of genetics but doing the job of breeding which are based on scientic line. Just like Jallikatu, these people are also trying to conserve the genetic potential of rural fawls like Hazra, Aseel, kadaknath etc. I have seen ,these people providing traditional herbal treatment in case of any injury or ailments to animals .
We can encash the traditional knowledge of these tribal people by felicitating them with latest knowledge and convergence with Govt schemes related to livestock farming.
In Jharkhand poultry rearing / farming has a special significance as it can play an important role in improving the socio- economic status of sizable section of the weaker section of society, specially the tribal people. With the adoption of improved poultry rearing practices applicable under rural conditions there will be significant increase in the income of poor farmers in the country who traditionally rear poultry. Poultry birds are not only eaten by the tribes but are also slaughtered on many religious, ceremonial, and agricultural occasions. The tribals can be motivated to rear free range poultry of dual variety with the speciality of having coloured plumage. The improved desi fowl as Karaknath and Aseel, selected for egg production or desi non-descript crossed with improved coloured breed could be introduced. The annual egg production of these hybrid birds reaches about 120-140 eggs as compared to 60-80 by desi birds.
Compiled & Shared by- Team, LITD (Livestock Institute of Training & Development)
Image-Courtesy-Google
Reference-On Request.
