A centuries-old tradition that is coming back. Sparrow fights were back on Monday, in the presence of an enthusiastic crowd, at a Hindu temple in northeast India, after the lifting of a ban on this tradition considered cruel by animal rights activists.
Thousands of spectators gathered on Monday at the Haigriva Madhav temple in Hajo in the state of Assam, to watch the fights between the red-bellied bulbuls, authorized after eight years of ban after Hindu priests had argued that They were part of their traditions.
“A ritual very close to the people”
“We have seen bird fights since we were children…. the ritual of bird fights is very close to the people,” says Kichin Das, one of the three judges who chooses the winner. According to enthusiasts, these jousts, which date back to the 18th century when a king witnessed two bird fights, became a popular spectacle during the harvest festival in January.
“It’s a game from the time of kings,” explains Biswajit Biswasi, 49, a professional sparrow fighter. “Since I was a child, I learned how to capture and train these birds.” Traditionally, wild birds were enticed to fight by first being starved before being fed an exciting mixture of spices including cannabis, pepper, cinnamon and cloves.
“The fight is brief,” emphasizes Babul Mazumdar, who has captured birds intended to fight for thirty years. “The bird that dominates the other, say in three or four shots, is declared the winner,” he adds.
Condemnation of animal rights activists
Screaming and flapping their wings, the little birds are loudly encouraged by spectators to exchange pecks. “This joust is linked to our beliefs and our traditions,” underlines Satya Nath Bharali, 85, who is one of the thousands of spectators who came to watch the hundred fights planned for Monday.
Animal rights activists condemn this tradition, which is similar to cockfighting but uses wild birds captured in the wild. The Assam High Court banned bulbul fights in 2015, sparking protests. In 2023, the Assam government announced that sparrow fights would be allowed again, but on condition that organizers follow rules.
Birds then “released”
Fights must be organized in a “disciplined manner,” and birds must be properly fed and hydrated. The birds must then be “released” into the wild in perfect health.
“We are happy that the government has allowed bird fights to take place this year,” said spectator Pradyumna Bhagawati. But Tushar Kol, of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) association, condemned the return of this tradition, calling for it to be banned.
“Inciting an animal to fight another animal is outdated, inhumane and barbaric, and such spectacles have no place in a modern civilized society,” Tushar Kol wrote in a letter to Assam authorities. “Confining” these birds and “forcing them to fight represents a negation of their natural behavior, causing enormous stress and great suffering,” the activist stressed.