Groups sore over Assam bid to ban buffalo-fight, bulbul-fight on Bhogali Bihu
'Bhogali Bihu' marks the end of the harvesting season in the north eastern state of Assam.
Villagers participate in community fishing as part of the Bhogali Bihu celebrations at the Goroimari Lake, 50 kilometers east of Guwahati on Wednesday. (Source: AP)
A directive by the Assam government asking the officials in all districts to ensure prohibition of all kinds of animal fights has hit traditional buffalo fights, bulbul fights and cock fights across the state, especially with such activities remaining inseparable from Bhogali Bihu celebrations that have begun on Wednesday. Organisers of such competitions meanwhile have said they would go to the Supreme Court to plead for exemptions.
State home commissioner LS Changsan, in a directive sent to all deputy commissioners and the Commissioner of Police, Guwahati City, has asked them to ensure the prohibition in compliance of a Supreme Court order and directed them to deploy sufficient police personnel in all such places. The directive also called for seizure of all animals and birds used for such fights.
District authorities in turn have particularly focused on Ahatguri in Morigaon district and Hajo in Kamrup, where buffalo fight and bulbul fight respectively are major attractions during bhogali bihu – the Assamese harvest festival coinciding with maker samkranti – that began today. Over 40 buffalos had registered at Ahatguri, while over 200 bulbul birds were registered at Hajo for the competition that was supposed to take place on Thursday.
Buffalo fights are also organized in various places other across Assam during bhogali bihu – the Assamese harvest festival coinciding with makar samkranti – apart from Ahatguri, and an Assamese film called “Jooj” based on the buffalo fight there had won a Rajatkamal in the 38th National Film Awards in 1990. Bulbul fight held at the Hayagriva Madhava temple in Hajo near Guwahati on the other hand is a major tourist attraction in the state. Cock fights on the other hand are held among tea plantation labourers in upper Assam during bhogai bihu.
“We have suspended our buffalo fight programme, though with lot of reservations, after a meeting with the SP and additional deputy commissioner of Morigaon. But we have told them that we will not be responsible for people turning up at Ahatguri for the buffalo fight that has been held for decades, if not centuries, there,” said Nirsingha Hazarika, an official of the Ahatguri Anchalik Moh-jooj aru Bhogali Utsav Samiti.
The Utsav Samiti, which has been organizing buffalo fight at Ahatguri, about 80 kms east of Guwahati, for the past 43 years, meanwhile has decided to approach the Supreme Court along with organizers of other such traditional fights associated with the bihu festival, Hazarika said. “We were not given any opportunity to be heard,” he said. Altogether 45 buffalos had registered for this year’s competition, Hazarika informed.
Meanwhile, J Balaji, deputy commissioner of Kamrup district said the Hayagriva Madhava Temple Committee has been asked not to organize bulbul fight from this year. “We have told them clearly that any violation of the Supreme Court’s order will compel us to apply the law. We know it is a cultural and sentimental issue. But there cannot be any violation of Supreme Court orders,” Balaji said.
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