Sankranti, the harvest festival, began with rooster fights, as usual, in many villages. Youth were seen thronging the arenas to enjoy the ‘traditional game’.
Rooster fighting arenas were arranged at Edupugallu, Gannavaram, Numna, Tiruvuru, Chinchinada, Pulapalli and other villages in Krishna, NTR, West Godavari, Konaseema, Eluru and other districts.
Organisers arranged huge tents, flexis, digital screens and floodlights at the rooster fight arenas. Besides shops, hotels, biryani points, snacks and fast food centres and other stalls were set up.
The tents were packed with visitors, bettors, and villagers and punters were seen bringing roosters worth lakhs of rupees for the fights.
“Each ‘Pandem’ (fight) is bet for ₹2 lakhs and above. Rooster fights, known as ‘Kodi Pandalu’ in local parlance, is part of the harvest festival,” says a youth, Chintala Appala Raju of Chikkala village in West Godavari district.
Despite a ban on rooster fights, villagers arranged rooster fight rings in rural areas in many places. NRIs and software professionals from Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and other cities were enjoying the bloodsport.
“There is no Sankranti without rooster fights. We came all the way from Hyderabad to celebrate the harvest festival. This year the festival is celebrated with fervour and tradition”Bandi VenuPrivate employee
Rooster fights were held on Sunday at Edupugallu, on the outskirts of Vijayawada. Heavy crowds were witnessed at the arena, and crores of rupees are expected to change hands during the three-day festivities.
“There is no Sankranti without rooster fights. We came all the way from Hyderabad to celebrate the harvest festival. This year the festival is celebrated with fervour and tradition,” says Bandi Venu, a private employee and a native of Tanuku.
