InsideNE’s inside story of buffalo fights in Assam’s ‘Ahatguri’

Guwahati, January 16, 2019:

The tradition of ‘moh juj’ (buffalo fight) is an age-old custom that has been followed by people of Assam since time immemorial. Huge buffaloes are bred and fed for upto one year in preparation for the fights and this year too, the beasts locked horns in many places across the state and the spectacles were witnessed by thousands of fans of the sport.

Thirty pairs of buffaloes locked horns in middle Assam’s Ahotguri. The beasts were led in great numbers to the fighting pit by their handlers and an estimated 20,000 people came to witness the fights as well as enjoy the atmosphere at the grounds where many stalls had also been set up to appease the visitors. Fans of the sport, who had gathered from far and wide, were attracted to the various attractions, especially the stall selling crisp jalebis.

It is not known how long this sport has been a part of Magh Bihu culture in Assam, but since 1972, it has been organized at Ahatguri which attracts the biggest crowds and fanfare.

Although animal rights activists would tell you that the animals are pitted to fight against their will, locals would tell you a different story. “These are not wild animals, they are domesticated. Not all the buffaloes fight, but the buffaloes from Morigaon and Nagaon fight well”, said Nathuram Hazarika, President of the organizing body. He also stated that for a buffalo to fight, it has to be “ferocious.”

[caption id="attachment_21483" align="alignnone" width="660"] Buffaloes locking horns[/caption]

Leading team InsideNE to a particularly strong-looking buffalo, Hazarika stated that its name was ‘Pitai’ (father). “The owner of the buffalo loves him so much that he has named him ‘father.’” Hazarika also informed InsideNE that a buffalo’s maturity can be ascertained if it has eight teeth. “People allege that we have brought wild animals, but that is not the case. These animals are domesticated and this particular beast has been named ‘Pitai’ out of love.”

Stressing the need to allow the animals to fight, Hazarika said that if the animals are not allowed to fight, they would take out their frustrations on their handlers or owners. In fact, there is a widespread belief among the buffalo handlers that if the buffaloes are not pitted against each other, they might injure the handlers. Hazarika that buffalo handlers have affirmed that they will conduct the fights at any cost and

Looking around at the colourful and cheerful gathering of people at the venue, Hazarika added that all members of the Assamese community irrespective of caste, creed or religion had assembled for the fights, thus this tradition of organizing fights should not be stopped despite the Supreme Court’s verdict placing a ban on all animal fights and races in 2014.

Allaying fears that the fight could be dangerous for the animals involved, a local veterinarian said that although some animals had suffered grievous injuries, none had died since his affiliation to the event since the 1980’s.

Kotiya, a sturdy buffalo, who has been fighting for a year, was adjudged winner after a particularly grueling contest much to the happiness of his handler, Pradip Khelma.

[caption id="attachment_21484" align="alignnone" width="660"] The victorious buffalo 'Kotiya'[/caption]

It remains to be seen where this tradition is heading in view of local authorities tightening the screws on the organizers of these events, but it can be argued that it is one of the traditions that keeps the Assamese closely knit as a community and in these troubling times, we need such traditions to keep our ‘Assamese’ identity intact.