Costliest cockfight: Andhra Pradesh man wins Rs 1.53 crore in Tadepalligudem; highest-ever betting on Sankranti

RAJAHMUNDRY: A man from Rajahmundry reportedly won Rs 1.53 crore in a cockfight ring at Tadepalligudem in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh this Sankranti, in a bout that drew thousands of people and attention on social media platforms. This is said to be the highest-ever betting on a cockfight during the harvest festival in Telugu states. The previous best winning amount was reportedly Rs 1 crore during last year's Sankranti, which, incidentally, was also from Tadepalligudem town. This year's betting increased by Rs 53 lakh, a little over 50 percent increase over the previous highest betting. The cockfight bout, which lasted for a few minutes, was held at Paiboyina Venkata Ramaiah's ring at Tadepalligudem between a 'Sethuva' breed rooster of Gudivada Prabhakar and a 'Dega' breed belonging to K Ramesh Raju. Most expensive cockfight in Godavari distsThe fight was the main attraction during Sankranti festivities in the region and also the most expensive. There were no boundaries for the team of Ramesh Raju, who clinched the thriller, and the bounty of Rs 1.53 crore. Despite strict orders against cockfights in the state, it continued during the three-day harvest festival. Punters reportedly put aside the court orders, while efforts by local authorities to prevent cockfights in Godavari districts, which are famous for betting huge amounts, went in vain. West Godavari SP Adnan Nayeem Asmi said police will check the cockfight bout. Expressing doubts over the huge amount reportedly involved in the bout, he said organisers might be trying to draw more crowds by hiking the betting amount intentionally. Cockfights are considered a tradition during the festival of harvest in delta regions of Godavari and Krishna rivers. The tradition, which dates back to a few centuries, picked up after the stabilisation of Godavari and Krishna delta in the later half of 19th century following construction of anicut across the two major rivers in coastal Andhra region. Initially it was a sportive event, according to historians, but as the money flow increased from agricultural activity thanks to the anicut, it gradually turned into a betting event with sharp knives attached to the legs of the fighter roosters. Hundreds of crores of rupees change hands in betting during cockfights in the two delta regions