Come Dasara, the playground at Vivekananda School in Hubli turns into a battlefield. Wielding horns painted in different hues, encouraged by their owners, rams rush to ram their opponent’s head. 'Yehoodi!', shout a host of spectators from the surrounding villages who arrive to witness Tagaru Kalaga (ram fight).
The ram fight is usually organised by Pattegaras (Somavamsha Kshatriya community) as a part of their tradition during Navarathri to please Goddess Durga. Rams, which are to be offered as sacrifice for the killer of Mahishasura, are brought to the ram fight. The ram fight was originally organised by individuals in their colonies till it was held as a public event at Nehru Grounds in Hubli in 1976. After a long gap of nearly two decades, the ram fight was once again held in 1999 at the premises of Moorusavira Math.
The fate of ram fight is no different from that of other folk games which are losing to rich games like cricket.
Besides, financial problems of the Pattegara families eclipsed the ram fight until it found a new sponsor in a group of spirited young men called 'SSK Friends Group' which gave the game a fresh lease of life in 2001. Since then the game has been held regularly, a couple of days before Navarathri. The game is held at different levels, depending on the age of fighters. In total, there will be five categories for the rams - no teeth, two teeth, four teeth, six teeth and eight teeth. Nearly 60 to 70 rams from nearby districts will be brought for the game.
Sonni
It is interesting to watch the fight unfold. The two rams that are to fight each other are brought so close that they identify their enemies by the smell before they are taken 40 to 50 meters away. Provoked by their owners, the rams rush towards each other and hit with their heads. Such a 'head-on blow' is called 'Sonni'. After the first hit, they retreat, but return with renewed vigour. The one which doesn't get back to fight is considered to be defeated. On the other hand, if the duo complete 30 sonni without admitting failure, a 15-minute break will be given before the second round begins. After three such rounds, if no ram withdraws from the fight, the umpire declares both the rams as winners. Except for an umpire and the owners of the fighting rams, nobody else is allowed inside the field.
If the fighting rams are found to be tired or have received fatal blows, they will be suspended from the game immediately as a precaution to avoid the death of animals on the field, says umpire Ganapati Venkusa Ladava.
Ram fights are organised on several occasions even in Davangere and Gadag. In Hubli, the ram fight is held for the sole purpose of entertainment and betting is strictly prohibited. The owner of the winning ram is generally honoured with a medal.
Translated by Malathi Belur
