A pair of bulls sprinting through the slush, jockeys harnessing energy, and a dense, buzzing crowd. Cattle races are not an alien concept in Kerala and currently maramadi and kannupoottu competitions have resumed in many districts after an extended, pandemic-induced break.
While patrons and fans are looking forward to the gala events, animal rights activists consider it a cruel and illegal sport.
“Despite the Kerala High Court banning the use of bulls as performing animals, kannupoottu and maramadi competitions are common in many districts, mainly Malappuram, Palakkad, Kollam, and Pathanamthitta. We have approached the authorities demanding strict action,” says M.N. Jayachandran, former member of the Kerala State Animal Welfare Board and secretary of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).
