Assam: Hajo festivities hit pause as Bulbul Bird fight stands cancelled once again

Hajo’s centuries-old Magh Domahi festivities will miss one of their most talked-about attractions this year. The Bulbul bird fight, traditionally held at the ground of the Hayagriva Madhav Temple, has been called off after the temple and game management committees decided to abide by earlier Supreme Court directives.

The decision revives a long-standing pause on the event. After a judicial ban imposed in 2015, the Bulbul bird fight remained absent for nearly nine years. It briefly returned in 2024 under strict Standard Operating Procedures and in the presence of Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, following conditional approval linked to Supreme Court guidelines. However, with no change in the court’s earlier position, organisers have chosen not to proceed this year.

The development once again brings into focus the delicate balance between tradition and animal welfare laws in Assam—an issue that has surfaced repeatedly over the past decade.

A similar debate has surrounded the famous buffalo fights of Ahatguri in Morigaon district, a long-standing part of Bhogali Bihu celebrations. These contests, held every January at Ahatguri and several other locations, were banned in 2014 after animal rights group PETA India approached the Gauhati High Court. The court later issued an order prohibiting the practice, leading to its discontinuation.

In an effort to preserve the cultural tradition, the Assam Legislative Assembly subsequently passed an amendment allowing the buffalo fights to resume, drawing parallels with Tamil Nadu’s legislative move to permit Jallikattu. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier stated that the amendment was aimed at safeguarding customs that have been practiced for generations, while attempting to bring them within a regulated legal framework.

Despite these efforts, the fate of traditional animal contests in Assam continues to be shaped by judicial scrutiny. 

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