Madurai: The revival of jallikattu has led to the revival of another Tamil traditional sport of the Madurai region. Known as ‘Keda sandai' (Ram fight), the event was held at Maravapatti village near Palamedu where about 60 rams vied for the honours.
It's a hot Sunday morning at Maravapatti village, but the mood in the village was upbeat with devotional songs humming in the background in on loudspeakers.
The villagers were also busy getting ready for the kumbabishekam (consecration ceremony) of the subaltern deity in Mahamai temple.
Youth in batches were seen walking purposefully along with rams in a narrow pathway which lead to a makeshift arena set up in the agricultural land amid black soil field that had been ploughed up, but left uncultivated due to drought hitting the region.
Unmindful of the scorching heat, the villagers climbed on to trees to witness rams ramming into each other in the arena. The organisers had formed a barrier using a rope to mark the arena, but enthusiastic villagers, witnessing ‘Keda Sandai' after five years, attempted to enter into the arena to have a better view of the rams fighting.
After two umpires give a signal, two rams were brought to the centre of the arena. "Sandiyar (ram) defeat him and bring us honour," said owner Raja before applying vibhuti (ash) on its forehead. The other owner also murmured into the ear of Thenmani (ram).
The owners released the rams after an umpire in the middle of the arena waved a long towel. With whistles renting the air, both rams rammed each other for the next 15 minutes or so. "The ram which withstands the ramming without running away from arena will be declared the winner," said umpire Sullan Prabhu, who is also the president of Keda Muttu Sangam, Madurai. If both rams don't run from the arena even after they have rammed each other 75 times, we will decare it as draw, he added.
‘Sandiyar' and ‘Thenmani' had played actively ramming each other while their owners who were spotted standing close to them, encouraging them with sounds. After 30 rounds of ramming, Sandiyar emerged victorious. The arena was immediately occupied by another set of owners and rams.
The winners were presented with stainless steel and brass vessels. "We trained our ram for nearly one month after the organisers announced the date for the event. We take them for a 4-km walk in a day and for swimming to increase their stamina and muscle power," said M.Dillkannan from Manjiyanji village near Alanganallur. His two rams won their bouts. "More than the prize, honour matters to us. I have special respect in my village because my rams won in many events", he said.
