Animal Sports in India UPSC

List of animal sports in India

1. Jallikattu, Tamil Nadu

• It is a bull taming sport and is held commonly during Pongal celebrations. 
• The Supreme court in 2014 proscribed the use of animals in sporting events but the year 2016 witnessed a wave of public protests in Tamil Nadu seeking revocation of the ban on this sport as it was seen as a symbol of Tamil identity and culture. 
• An ordinance was passed by the state government to permit the sport.

2. Cock-fights

• It is common in the state of Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. 
• It is a fight between two roosters bred and trained for fighting. 
• Often a blade or knife is tied to their limbs to inflict injury on the opponent. 
• Evidently, the sport was practised during Indus valley civilization and was popular in ancient times in India, China, Persia, other Eastern countries and Ancient Greece. 
• The Supreme Court banned the sport citing it to be in violation of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. However, the sports are still held, despite the court's order. 

3. Bail Gadi Shariat, Maharashtra

• It is a Bullock Cart race associated with Ganpati festival celebrated in the state and is seen as a status symbol and an integral part of the state's culture. 
• It is not held as a commercial activity. These races too stand legally banned post the Supreme Court's order on performing sports, yet they continue to be held in the state. 

4. Camel Race, Rajasthan

• It is held typically during the Pushkar Camel fair held in the months of October and November. 

5. Dog Fights

• It is a blood sport that pits two dogs kept in cages without food for days, against one another for entertainment. It is held in the outskirts of Delhi and is often accompanied with illegal gambling/ betting. 
• The Supreme Court held these to be in violation of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and therefore banned them. 

6. Bulbul fights, Assam

• It is organised during Bihu (harvest festival) in the Hayagriva-Madhava Temple in Hajo near Guwahati, Assam. 
• Often bulbuls are fed intoxicants to make them aggressive. 

7. Horse Racing

• It is a performance sport in vogue since ancient times in Greece, Babylon, Syria, and Egypt and in India for over 200 years, involving jockeys riding horses over a distance. 
• In 1996, the Supreme Court ruled that wagering on horse races is a game of skill and not luck and as such does not constitute illegal gambling. Horse racing, thus, is legal in the country.