Even as the row over Jallikattu continues, vast areas of West Bengal have started playing another brutal game — cockfighting.
From rural belts like Purulia, Bankura, West Midnapore and Murshidabad to semi-urban areas like North and South 24 Parganas, cockfights commenced on the day of Makar Sankranti and would continue for one month.
One such location is Para in Purulia district. Here, villagers, on a Sunday noon, gather at a big ground off the state highway. A pair of roosters are pitted against each other. The audience encircle the arena and betting commences. Two owners enter the field with their roosters and the winner gains ownership of the losing rooster.
But things turn ugly when sharp scissors are attached to the legs of the cocks, ensuring that they injure each other in the midst of fighting. Then, it is only a matter of time until the scissor of a cock pierces the chest or stomach of the other. The bleeding cock slumps on the mud. At times, it dies — but mostly grimaces in pain while it’s being handed over to the winner.
What do they do with the injured cock?
Says Tapan Roy, who works as a mason at Jharkhand’s Ranchi, “I will sell it off at a local meat market and would get around Rs 300.”
Roy came from Ranchi to his village at Para for Makar Sankranti and thinks such game is the same as worshiping god.
“This game is very auspicious and we need to play it every year,” he said.
Nagen Bagdi, another daily labourer, also feels the same. He had invested around Rs 2000 last year to buy chickens for cockfights (Murgi khela as known locally).
“I made Rs 10,000 in one month last year by selling the roosters in the meat market,” said Nagen.