Cockfighting in Bastar: A Bloody Tradition

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Haats are a weekly gathering place for people from all over the region to come and trade goods, buy food, and socialize. But there is one activity that is particularly popular at the haats in Bastar, Chhattisgarh: cockfighting.

It is a blood sport, where two roosters are pitted against each other in a fight to the death. The roosters that are used in cockfights are specially bred and trained for the sport.

Friendly fights are common before the main event, where owners rile the birds up and encourage them to fight. Spectators place bets before the fight on their favorite rooster and collects it when it ends. Once inside the arena, the roosters are fitted with sharp blades to their feet and encouraged to fight. The fight is often short and brutal, and the rooster that survives is declared the winner. Cockfighting is a controversial sport, but it is considered an integral part of the tribal culture in Bastar.