Thirikkal races: Don’t perpetuate cruelty to animals in the name of tradition
View(s):
The Sinhala-Hindu New Year celebration is a joyous occasion for many, observing traditions and engaging in festivities. Yet amidst all this celebration is a cruel sport – thirikkal races. This is the setting: thirikkals, single seat carts, are lined up in rows; the bulls are tightly tethered, their bodies almost touch the trees or lamp posts to which they are tied;they are yoked to the carts with brutal force to ensure that the reins will hold the speeding animal along several kilometres.
The race begins;“Duwapan puthe, duwapan” (run son, run) that was one competitor’s command at the start, “Thawatikai, thawatikai” (only a little more, only a little more) that’s when nearing the end. Between the start line and the finish line, the bulls are exposed to horrendous cruelty. Rein in one hand, stick in the other, the rider mercilessly beats the animal, sometimes twisting or biting its tail, causing excruciating pain, to make it run faster. Motor cycle escorts add to the “thrill”. Onlookers cheer.
Bulls are not racing animals.Even weak animals are used. Carts topple as happened in one race when one veered off the road with the bull losing its balance and struggling dazed only to be barbarously hauled up by three hefty men twisting and turning the animal’s head to ‘straighten’ it as if it was an inanimate object and not a sentient being that felt pain and forced the animal to resume the race. In another, when a bull fell on its face resisting to move at the start, seven pitiless men wrenched its head to lift it and then forced it to run. During training one animal narrowly escaped death when a speeding bus almost knocked it down. These are not isolated incidents. They happen repeatedly during the race and during training.
Thirikkal races are a major attraction at Sinhala New Year festivals and are a popular gambling option. Those who organize this sport say it is a way of preserving a local tradition and culture. Most age-old beliefs become tradition only through the passage of time; and certain cultural norms become unacceptable with changing values. What makes the human species continue such abhorrent traditions and cultures? Should such cruelty be perpetuated? If so, slavery and the notion that women are chattel will still be in existence.
In “Some Sinhala Combative, Field and Aquatic Sports and Games’’ then National Museums Director, P.E.P. Deraniyagala writing about combative sports between men or man and animal states that they were practised from the earliest times not only to amuse, but also to foster a disregard for pain and death, and to inculcate the valour and pugnacity essential for the survival of the human race. Times have changed; today, both man and animal are entitled to rights that promote their well-being.
Last year, when animal rights activists agitated against thirikkal races, a Senior DIG (Crimes and Traffic) issuing a circular stating that competitors often hit and harm the animals to ensure their victory, instructed the police to discourage thirikkal, elephant races and other sports using animals, create awareness among organizers and competitors that if races were held, there should be no cruelty to animals and if there was cruelty despite such awareness, to prosecute the perpetrators under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance. Under this Ordinance, overriding or overdriving animals or causing unnecessary harm and suffering to animals are offences. There is no way that thirikkal races can take place without overriding or overdriving the bulls to hasten their speed. During the race, the bulls are also exposed to various forms of severe harm and suffering. This circular, though not wholly adequate to prevent such cruelty, was nevertheless a deterrent.
Animal rights activists commended the Police for issuing this circular. Some activists succeeded in preventing several races, directly complaining to the police. On an activist informing Member of Parliament S.M. Marikkar about a race to take place in Angoda, he promptly responded that he would stop it. But there were disappointments too. A Buddhist monk refused to advise an organizer in Gonawela to stop this event because the organizer was his chief dayakaya; in one race in Kolomthota, the escort motor cyclists were wearing T shirts displaying a prominent female politician’s name - did she sponsor the event?; and there were reports of Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekere, commenting that he disagrees with activists that the sport is cruel and should be stopped, adding also that he did not want to interfere.
The Samastha Lanka Thirikkal Himiyange Saha Dhawakayinge Subhasadhaka Sangamaya, a thirikkal owners and runners welfare association, has requested a Presidential Advisor to intervene so that these races ‘closely associated with ancient Sinhala culture’could proceed unhindered. Is this “subhasadhakasangamaya” interested only in its members “subhasadhanaya”.
When a section of Tamil Nadu’s population, joined by film and sports idols protested that a Supreme Court order banning jallikattu, the bull taming sport which exposes petrified bulls to cruelty was an affront to the State’s traditions and culture, some Sri Lankans, across the Palk strait too supported them. There were reports that the State’s Opposition politicians had demanded the removal of bulls from the ‘performing animals list’ in India’s anti-animal cruelty law –an admission that jallikattu is cruel. This reminds one of a Sri Lankan Buddhist monk’s demand to exclude elephants from the scope of protection afforded to animals in our Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance.
With education and a certain degree of enlightened thinking, one would expect a rejection of obnoxious traditions and cultures. Is it a low IQ and no CQ that prevents it? To quote Aristotle “Educating the head without educating the heart is no education at all”
As spectators, the public must not encourage this cruel sport for their entertainment.Should national celebrations be permitted to promote cruelty? It is time that our policy makers give serious consideration to banning not only thrikkal races, but also all other sports that expose animals to cruelty.