Hundreds of onlookers witnessed the traditional rooster duel contests that commenced at Vilar area on the outskirts of Thanjavur on Saturday. More than 1,500 rooster owners from various parts of the State as also from Puducherry, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have brought their birds to take part in the contests.
Organisers said that the speciality of the contests here was that the roosters were engaged in the duel without any man-made weapon like knives attached to their claws. The birds have to show their valour and calibre fighting with their own claws and intellect.
Prior to the contests, officials and veterinarians from the Department of Animal Husbandry inspected the birds and certified their fight-worthiness. Collector A. Annadurai and Joint Director of Animal Husbandry Masilamani led a team of six veterinarians and 25 assistants in providing support to the organisers.
Pudukkottai Sekar, a member of the organising committee, said that the committee had been organising the contest for long but the events could not be held over the past three years following the court orders preventing rooster duels. “Now with the courts clearing the hurdle, we are again conducting the contests,”he said.
More than 1,500 roosters belonging to 15 varieties are participating in the contests which would be held in 30 rings, Mr. Sekar said.
The birds are allowed to fight based on size and weight categories. The rooster would be deemed to have lost the fight if it either dips its peck to the ground or runs away from the ring.
The mass awakening for jallikkattu all over the State is bringing in more spectators this year for the rooster duels at Vilar, the organisers said. Owners of the winning roosters get handsome rewards and gifts, while the injured birds are being treated on the spot. The events would continue on Sunday.
