Sankranti is synonymous with cockfights in the Coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh. Especially in the villages of East Godavari, West Godavari and few parts of Krishna districts, Sankarnati and Cockfights are “inseparable”. Unlike previous years, 2015 Sankranti is witnessing highest-ever bettings. The figures are staggering as the betting money running into crores.
According to an estimation, the total money spent on Cockfights in the three districts for these three days this year is pegged at over Rs 100 Crore. On Sankranti day, a whopping Rs 3 Crore is doled out for just 3 successive Cockfights in a locale in Bhimavaram town. If the case is so in towns, the situation in villages too is no different. NRIs, relatives from various districts, states anxiously participating in the cockfights resulting in placing of heavy bettings.
Thanks to stupendous growth in the real estate amidst setting up of new capital, high profits in aqua, agricultural businesses, which increased the ability to spend high in cockfights. People and leaders are actively participating in them betting big. In addition to this, even cops are unmindful, oblivious to organising cockfights. Although High Court imposed a ban and Supreme Court upheld it and asked to maintain “Status Quo”, it hardly has any affect on the organisers. All in all, the 2015 Sankranti witnessed perhaps the highest-ever betting in cockfights.