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Rekla race ban, threat to Kangayam bull
Every year there is a ban on the traditional Rekla race. Farmers and enthusiasts owning Kangayam breed bulls are slowing losing hope of the ban being lifted. With the Supreme Court banning the sport, enthusiasts fear that the Kangayam breed would be extinct in less than a year, unless the Union Government intervenes, as promised by some union ministers.
By
migrator
migrator
Coimbatore
The Kangayam cattle, an indigenous breed, derives its name from Kangeyam town located in Tiruppur district. The cattle, a good hardy breed in South India, are medium built, grey or white. Traditionally,, bulls were used for carrying goods and transporting people. “A few centuries ago there was no r ek la race. Relatives and villagers going from one place to the other used to compete among them for the fun of racing. There was no prize involved in it. Later it evolved into a race,” Tamil Nadu Rekla Club (TNRC) president RS Thirumugan said. He told DT Next that the race attracts stiff competition from participants from places such as Pollachi, Udumalpet, Dharapuram, Palani, Tirupur, Erode and Karur. Winning these races was more for pride than for the prize. Unlike j al likattu , r ekla race was not confined to Pongal season. It used to be conducted every fortnight in and around Pollachi.
The most popular racing destinations were Pollachi, Udumalpet and Dharapuram, involving 400 to 500 pairs of bulls, till the recent years before the race was banned along with j allikattu . The smaller races at temple festivals at the outskirts of these towns used to attract 200 to 300 pairs for the race. The majestic Kangayam breed was predominantly used for the race. In this region, the race was conducted for 200 m (for 2-3 year-old bulls) and 300 m (for bulls aged up to 6-7 years). In some districts the race is also conducted for a distance of 5 and 6 km. “We doubt if 100 pairs will be available now, to participate as most of these high-quality bulls have been sold for slaughter,” Thirumugan lamented. This is because maintaining a r ekla race bull is not as easy as maintaining a normal bull.
“We spend Rs. 12,000 to Rs. 15,000 for a r ekla bull as they need special diet including dates. Those who have farming as their only source of living cannot own these bulls,” says S Prabakaran (43) a farmer of C Arthanaripalayam near Pollachi. This farmer who has participated in over a hundred races and won many prizes was the proud owner of six pairs of Kangayam bulls. He has sold three pairs.
“I am able to maintain them as I am into various businesses other than agriculture,” he said and added that many of his friends even sold their last bull for slaughtering. The price of a good pair of Kangayam bulls used in the races was Rs. 4 lakh to Rs. 5 lakh when the sport was at its peak. Slowly it reduced to Rs. 1.5 lakh to Rs. 1.75 lakh. Sadly, due to the prolonged ban on the sport for nearly three years male calves are sold for a mere Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 3,000 for slaughter. Earlier this breed was used for farming but tractors have replaced them. Rekla race enthusiasts fear that these calves too would not be available if the ban was not lifted as this breed would cease to exist or become a showcase species before extinction, as this race is the only reason for Kangayam breed’s existence.
BULL RUN
- It involves getting race bulls to lug makeshift carts a certain distance
- The majestic Kangayam breed was predominantly used for the race
- The race used to be held during village festivals and was a crowd puller during the 3-day Pongal festival
- Popular destinations were Pollachi, Udumalpet and Dharapuram, involving 400 to 500 pairs
Efforts on to sustain Jallikattu breeds
Velliangiri Goshala at the outskirts of Coimbatore that is home to 210 j allikattu breed bulls for close to two years is planning to buy high quality cows of these bulls to sustain the breeds. “Following the recent ban on the sport by the Supreme Court, we came to know that the breeders are going to sell their cows. So, we are planning to buy some of them,” Managing Trustee of the goshala P. Siva told DTNext.
“Our team is in the process of identifying cows of Sindhu, Kangayam, Vadakathi, Kedaimaadu, Malaimaadu and country breed bulls, which dominated the j allikat tu arena in south and central Tamil Nadu. We are planning to buy 20 cows to ensure that these native breeds of Tamil Nadu are not wiped out,” he added. The goshala at Narasipuram was started in October 2014 to house cattle that were illegally transported for slaughter. In January 2015, they were shocked to know that the prized bulls that once stole the show in the j sallikat tu arena were for sale for slaughter for a meagre price due to the ban on the sport. “Our volunteers went to every shandy and met farmers who owned the native bulls at Alanganallur, Palamedu, Melur, Usilampatti, Vadipatti, Bodi and Ayanavaram. We offered them a price that was higher than the price offered by slaughtering houses. Some of the bulls escaped the axe just in time,” Siva said. Impressed over their initiative farmers who could not maintain their bulls but did not have the heart to sell them for slaughter, gifted their bulls to the gos hala. They were brought here in mid-February last year and have been housed here since then. The bulls enjoy the special food and treatment they got at their homes. Jallikattu enthusiasts who actively participated in the sport were brought here to maintain the animals in such a way that they did not lose their fierce nature. But these bulls alone are not sufficient to sustain the breed. Hence efforts are on to save the cows as well. Once they are brought here they will be involved in breeding and nurtured well.
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