Godavari districts are known for cockfights during Sankranthi every year. The tradition has been continuing from hundreds of years.
The betting on cockfights is a part of culture of the region. Many feel that they don’t find festival mood without cockfights. But this cockfight betting scenario is well publicized by national media on TV channels. Knowing about this, the people from different parts of country have come down to Godavari districts.
The surprise is that a group of gamblers who are regular at casinos at Goa have hired a charter flight and landed in Rajahmundry to participate in betting at cockfights. It seems the estimated money that’s shelling for this Sankrathi is around Rs 500 Cr.
Locals are saying thanks to media for giving wide coverage for cockfights in Godavari districts.
“Although media tried to succumb the gambling game, it has turned positive for the vice in the guise of tradition”, said a police cop.
But is this a vice? Or should be treated as tradition?
The worry is not about the lives of cocks indeed, as people are regular consumers of chicken anyway. The concern is about the gamblers those may make their families come on roads by not betting wisely.
Goan casinos are the places where people need at least Rs 3000 to step in with a pass. The minimum stakes will be around Rs 25,000. So, only the stinking rich those earn big money only will lose their money there. They come out with smiling faces even after losing Rs 25 lakhs in a night. But the people in the villages of Godavari districts are not so. If they bet without calculation, they tend to lose their properties on single minute!!
