SOCIETY

Cock fights rampant in Tamil Nadu despite ban

     Chennai: Hundreds of people in Tamil Nadu wage bets on cock fights, once patronised by royals, despite a government ban. The cruel sport has the birds mull each other, often till death, as the surrounding crowds cheer and exchange money on each winning stroke. Held every two months in Chennai , the sport has emerged as one of the most favoured entertainments for rural dwellers, who have little access to other forms of entertainment. The men come to the city, gambling aggressively on the roosters, which often escalates to gang wars between rival factions. But despite protests by animal rights groups and crackdowns by police, the locals refuse to give up the traditional sport. Believed to be the world's oldest sport, cock fighting has become a business for many and breeders spend a huge amount of money on rearing roosters, tailor-made to fight. The natural spurs of the roosters are sawed off and replaced by razor sharp steel blades and they are also given drugs to maximize their aggression and stamina. "We place the birds in opposite directions for the figth. The one which, runs from the battle is the looser. We tie a knife to the right leg of the bird and feed it on millets, wheat and other rich foods to keep it strong," Raju, a breeder said. "When the birds are six months old, we start preparing them for the fights. We hold rehersals at home with other cocks. We feed them on beef, millets and wheat rolls. We put them in for proper fighting after they are a year and half old. The fights are usually on Sundays only," Babu, another breeder said. Sociologists have warned of the increasing aggressiveness of the sport saying it would fast become a menace worse than gambling. During a typical cockfight tournament, a number of birds are killed. The few lucky ones who survive suffer severe injuries including broken wings, punctured lungs and gouged eyes.
-June 29, 2004

Where Dalits are forced to walk barefoot, eat in shells

     Aninashi (Tamil Nadu): In a blatant violation of human rights, lower castes in a village in Tamil Nadu are being forced to walk barefoot, eat in coconut shells and even bow in obeisence by the landlords. In Avinashi village, which has an extremely stringent feudal society, the "Dalits" as the lower castes are called, are mostly employed as labourers, depending solely on the dominant community for survival. These people have been facing discrimination for ages with each generation inheriting the derogatory customs and rules, intact in their most pirimitive form. The Dalits live in separate colonies and are forbidden from entering restaurants, shops and even kiosks. At tea stalls they are made to sit in special enclosures and served in either coconut shells or disposable plastic cups instead of the usual steel tumblers used for others. Palaniatthal, a Dalit woman, said they even bury the dead in separate graveyards. "When we go out for shopping, we are asked to stand separate. We cannot even wear slippers in the village. When we go to tea shops, we are given a separate tea cup and we have to drink the tea standing outside the shop. We are not allowed to enter temples. Our graveyards are also separate," she said. Hindu scriptures separate people into four broad castes, - Brahmin priests, warriors, traders and labourers, while rest fall outside the framework of caste system. Dalits sit at the bottom of the 3,000-year-old caste system. "When we go to or even pass through the upper caste colonies, we have to bend ourselves in front of them (the landlords). When we go to the temples, we have to worship God from a distance. Even for using the water taps, first preference is given to the upper castes. And after we have taken water we have to properly clean the tap. Such practices are also prevalent in the barber hops. In tea shops as well separate tumblers are given to our people," Palaniswamy, another Dalit villager, said. While the men as forbidden to even pass through residential quarters the rules are little lax for the Dalit women, who are are often employed as maids. But even they cannot enter the interiors of the house and are employed as sweepers and gardeners for a pattance. "I am working in a Gounder's (upper caste landlord) farm and the owner has asked us to bring a coconut shell as a coffee cup to drink. Otherwise as well, we are not allowed to enter inside their houses and will give us money, food etc far outside their houses," Muniamma, who works as a maid servant, said. Even the children have not been spared and have to sit on floors and are never allowed to mingle with the upper caste children. Numbering 160 million, close to the population of Brazil, Dalits represent 16 percent of India's population of more than one billion. Officially, caste discrimination is banned in India. And special quotas exist for Dalits in parliament, state legislatures, village councils, government jobs and educational institutions. But Amnesty International and other human rights activists say that India's Dalits continue to be discriminated against.
-June 27, 2004

Sex workers' lives turn 'sun bright'

     Alappuzha: A group of sex workers in Kerala has decided to leave their ugly past behind and start their life afresh. Under a self-employment programme started by a voluntary organisation, 20 sex workers - seven males and 13 women - in Alappuzha (Alleppey) district are making detergent powder and selling it through wholesale and retail outlets to earn a respectable livelihood. The project is being supported by the National AIDS Control Organisation. Sex workers are very happy as their work is being appreciated by the society which used to shun them till recently.

     "No one distrubs or teases us when we take this detergent powder to people in neighbouring places. Instead, they sometimes encourage us. Now, we have a very good relation with others. Earlier, it was not like that, they never used to speak to us or allow us to enter their homes. Life was very difficult with no shelter, no food, and even no clothes. I and my children had a very tough time. My life has changed altogether after coming to this office," Radhamani, a sex worker-turned-businesswoman, said. The product named "Sun Bright" is being sold at 80 rupees per kilogram. The purpose behind the project was to persuade the sex workers to change their profession and bring them back to the mainstream life. These workers are given counselling classes every week to boost their confidence and morale. There is remuneration for them also if they are able to draw more sex workers to the project.

     "Poverty is the main cause which leads them to this work. They need some kind of work for surviving. So, we thought of engaging them in some work and that is how the idea got a shape. For this we got full cooperation from the state NGO (non-governmental organisation) and NACO (National Aids Control Organisation). When we started, it was difficult and four or five people joined us but later when it was noticed by others, more and more people came forward," said Joseph Sebastian, director of the project. The organisation is now planning to expand the business into candle-making, pickle and chips making.
-June 8, 2004

Muslim woman who cremates Hindus in Goa

     Madgao (Goa): Abandoned by her family, left to die by an indifferent society, a 60-year-old woman in Goa has found life in death. Jamat Bi, a fiesty lady from Madgao village in Goa, is perhaps the only woman in India who lights a funeral pyre, a task othewise reserved exlusively for men and to make her defiance complete, she is a Muslim. Jamat is the sole caretaker of a Hindu cremetarium and claims to have consigned close to 200,000 bodies to flames in her 30 years of career as an undertaker.

     Jamat says her path to being accepted in the profession was anything but easy. Originally hailing from Karnataka, the young Jamat, then abandoned along with her infant by her husband, was lured to Goa by crooks. Rescued by a kind-hearted crematorium owner, she took job as his assistant and fought intense social stigma and much of her own fears to inherit the unusual profession. Pefectly versed with the final rights of a Hindu funeral, she does her work to near perfection and follows Islam, the religion of her birth, with equal dedication.

     But even after years of struggle and hardwork, Jamat is a disillusioned woman. Making a meagre 700 rupees per month the ageing lady is finding it hard to survive. "I want a place to live. I can only earn Rs. 700 as salary. With this salary I am unable to feed my children properly. I cannot leave this job also as there is no other alternative. I have been doing it for years. I cannot fight my destiny anymore," she said. Meanwhile for the locals, who lovingly address her as Mausi or Khala (Aunt), she is the good samaritan.

     "Finally all creations are from God. If she is doing something for somebody then it is good, it should be recommended," said Signi Barado, relative of a deceased brought to the crematorium. Jamat, who adapted herself to the circumstances for survival, has also emerged as the symbol of religious harmony in the rigidly divided society.
-June 2, 2004

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