VIJAYAWADA: Next Sankranti, if you plan to buy your dream bike, or an off-roader SUV, think of investing on a fighter rooster! If luck favours you, and if your rooster fights to its potential, you might return home in a Mahindra Thar, or on a Royal Enfield Bullet from a cockfight arena.
Cockfight celebrations, particularly in coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh, have raised their stakes to a new high this season by introducing mega prizes like sports bikes and SUVs for the winners.
At Penuguduru village in Kakinada district, a cockfight arena has announced a Mahindra Thar as the mega prize for the owner of the winning rooster. Similarly, at several cockfight venues in Gannavaram, Penamalur, Pedana, and Machilipatnam in Krishna district, owners of the winning roosters can vroom home in a new Royal Enfield Bullet.
The new trend can be seen even in smaller cockfight events where organisers are giving home appliances, cycles, bikes, and electric scooters as rewards to the owners of winning roosters.
“We thought of trying something different this year and decided to give a Thar as the grand prize to the winning rooster,” said a rooster fight organiser at Penuguduru.
High-value prizes draw more participants this year
“Cockfights are a part of our tradition. We are not bothered about profits or making money from these events. Our aim is to make the event a memorable one for the participants with the best of arrangements, so that they get what they pay for when buying entry tickets to the venue. We are spending that money on the prizes,” he added.
At several arenas in Krishna district, youths were seen carefully holding their roosters close to their chest with the hope of winning their dream bike.
“Owning a bullet has been my dream, but I can’t afford it. When I came to know that cockfight organisers in Gudivada are giving a Royal Enfield to the best performing rooster, I brought my bird here. I hope it wins the fight. I have trained it well,” said K Vasanth Ram, a B.Tech final year student, who brought the rooster out of savings from his pocket money.
Unlike earlier years, where betting was the main feature at cockfights, this year it’s about the prizes. Organizers collect entry fees from public and deposits from participants.
“We are giving a Royal Enfield bullet daily for all three days of Sankranti. The rooster that defeats its opponent in the shortest time will secure the prize,” said a cockfight organiser in Gudivada.
The high-value prizes have drawn more participants this year, with many travelling from as far as Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Chennai to try their luck. Many cockfight arenas in the state resemble a mini indoor stadium, with elaborate setups, floodlights, and large LED screens. Organisers believe the new trend will foster greater enthusiasm for the traditional sport besides adding an extra layer of excitement for the spectators.