RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: In Godavari districts, Sankranti is not just about harvest celebrations, kites and family feasts. For many, the festival instantly brings to mind the electrifying spectacle of cockfights.
As Sankranti approaches, the arena (bari) is set, the champions are ready and the stakes have never been higher.
With such craze surrounding the sport, the roosters that enter the ring are anything but ordinary.
It is estimated that around 1,000 training centres and breeding centres are in Godavari delta region and have trained roosters. From careful selection to intense physical conditioning, from specialised diets to mental training, every detail is meticulously planned.
The preparation of a fighting rooster mirrors that of a professional athlete. Several training camps have been set up in several areas in Delta and up uplands in this belt.
Owners prefer trainers with a proven track record, those whose roosters have won multiple bouts in the past. several cock training centres enjoy strong brand value, and their services are booked months in advance.
Interestingly, some of these trainers belong to families that once served royal courts, where animal combat training was a specialised, hereditary profession. That lineage still carries weight. Breeds like dega, nemali, kakhi, mungisa and kokkiraii are carefully raised for the arena.
In some areas, roosters trained by trainers in Hyderabad area are brought directly to competitions. Others invite trainers who themselves were trained under those wrestlers.
In Ravulapalem, and Bhimavaram and Undi, experts are even flown from Kolkata. Typically, one trainer handles only 10 to 15 birds at a time and is paid around Rs 25000 per month.
Training usually begins around Dasara though short-term crash courses have also become popular. Training starts as early as 5am.
About two months before a pongal, roosters are given a rich diet that includes dry fruit laddus, minced meat, and boiled greens. Forty days before the fight, egg whites are added to their meals.
From 8 am to 3 pm, the birds are kept outdoors, where they walk , stretch and perform specific exercises. At 4 pm, they are fed grains and then allowed to rest till dawn. To remove fear and improve confidence, handlers often feed them by hand. To boost agility roosters are occasionally made to swim, and group ring sessions are held to develop endurance and fighting instinct.
A week before Pongal, complete rest is mandatory. Vitamins an supplements are a routine part of training. As winter increases the risk of infections like fowl pox and fungal diseases, antibiotics are also used as preventive care.
Another crucial practice is water treatment and steam therapy. Herbal solutions made from eucalyptus and soap nut, bamboo leaves, turmeric stems and other natural ingredients are boiled and used to bathe the birds.