KOLLAM: The players entered the field at Mampuzha and inspected it to their satisfaction amidst the cheers of the crowd and the announcements about the weather. It was not a cricket match, but the long-lost tradition of bull racing competition which was held on the paddy field in the village, 10 kilometres away from the city. As part of its mission to revive agriculture, Kottankara Grama Panchayat decided to hold ‘maramadi’ or bull racing competition to draw people’s attention to agriculture-related festivals for which the place was known years ago. The panchayat did succeed in attracting crowds as people thronged three sides of the Mampuzha paddy field from morning.
Children from a nearby LP school marched towards the paddy field in a line. Kavya, Fathima, Revathi, Asya and Aditya, Class IV students of the school, sang prayers in the makeshift tent set up in front the temple of Sree Indilayappan, in whose name an ever-rolling trophy has been constituted for the winner. The contestants directed their respective bulls to the field, which was filled with ankle-deep muddy water. As the field was freshly ploughed for the competition, a number of cranes were seen feeding on the small fish before the bulls took over.
Thirty-two pairs of bulls which came for the competition were yoked and each pair was handled by three people- one each on the sides while the third handler hanged on the wooden surf board attached to the yoke from behind. The bulls would charge down to the finishing point and those covering the 100-metre track quickest would lift the trophy. There were senior and junior categories based on the age of the bull pair. It’s a game of brawn and skill as the handlers have to run along with the bulls and also ensure that the raging bulls move on the track. If the yoked animal keeps off the track and rages towards the crowd standing on the edges, the handlers are jeered at.
Ever since the court ruling against torturing bulls in the name of competition, ‘Maramadi’ festival has also become animal-friendly. “Earlier, animals were hit or their tail bitten by the surfer to control the bull. But no such practices are followed nowadays,” said Rajan, one of the handlers.
Bull racing used to be a major festival held during the post harvest season in the villages of Kerala. According to Thankappan, a veteran in bull racing, many used to proudly own bulls just like people own horses.
“As the people moved away from agriculture, bulls only came on trucks from Tamil Nadu to the slaughter houses in the state,” he said.
Even in surrounding areas such as Kunnikodu, Kundara, Parippally, Adoor and Karunagapally there used to be regular competitions.
As the bull racing craze is making a comeback, people have started buying bulls with the intention of racing. A bull can cost anywhere between Rs 90,000 and Rs 1.5 lakh. Such bulls are specially trained and well-groomed.
The race ended by evening with the handlers Appus of Aduthala and Noushad of Pathanapuram winning the trophies in senior and junior categories respectively. After the race, the bulls were given tender coconut water and rice gruel.