High demand for meat of fallen birds

Pithapuram: The meat of the severely injured or defeated or dead cock in the cock-fights during Sankranti, is in great demand for its low-fat content and appeal to the taste buds.

During preparation for fights, the roosters are fed with badam, cashew, onions and other food stuffs that are healthy and therefore very nutritious.
When auctioned, its meat fetches hefty sum. People would love to have the meat of the bird defeated or severely wounded in the cock-fight – called in local parlance as Kosa.

Normally, winner of the cock-fight will have the right over the defeated bird. He takes it with him to have it in his meals or will auction it. The bird fetches anything between Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 because of the meat’s appeal to the taste buds.

It is pertinent to note here that the birds are free from fat. As part of the training for the cock-fight, owners train them in swimming and running. The fat-free meat has good demand in the market. The meat lovers, out of craze for the meat, would not hesitate to spend more money on it.

The winner regards to take possession of the defeated bird as a matter of honour and dignity. There has been a practice of winners gifting the defeated birds to their superiors and relatives.

Even if it is a normal rooster, if it were to die as part of the cock-fighting, the people will go crazy to have the bird’s meat. In East Godavari district alone, thousands of roosters perish as part of the cock-fighting. Pithapuram town accounts for some hundreds of birds.

Each worker charges between Rs 40 and Rs 70 to dress the chicken and to roast it. Cooks at the venue of the cock-fight turn the roasted roosters into Pulav, chicken curry or chicken pakoda and thus make a fast buck selling the chicken products.

The hotel and restaurant owners buy the defeated roosters in auction to offer a treat for their customers. Tipplers find the chicken curry a tasty
combination with liquor.

By Saride Nageswara Rao