Bullock cart races are held to celebrate Kartik Purnima, and rival villages from all over the region near Garh Mukteshwar compete in a frenzy of speed and pride. By day, the fairgrounds are crowded with pilgrims; at night, they’re accented by the drumming of hooves and roars of bikers as bullock carts rush down the state highway—illegally and frequently, tragically.
These races push ahead in defiance of a police ban, attracting large audiences and causing traffic jams on a normally peaceful road. Here, bullocks are pushed to their maximum speed with painfully sharp rods and pointed sticks, forcing them to sprint up to 40 kilometres at 80 km/h. High stakes are involved since the organisers have established a cash reward of up to 2.5 lakhs, which stokes intense competition. Some see it as a way to maintain community pride, while others believe the prize money justifies the risk to both human and animal life and limb.
“These races have existed for generations, but the aggression has never been this extreme,” says Madan Pal of Naanpur, near Meerut. “They used to use wooden rods, but today they use sharp sticks and spurs to drive the animals. Previously, connecting roads in rural areas were utilised; currently, they have spread to state highways.” The outcome is terrible, with weary bulls falling mid-race and toppled carts harming spectators who flock to encourage their local heroes.
For animal rights activists, the event is a horrifying exhibition of cruelty. “Pointed rods jabbed at sensitive areas cause unbearable pain, pushing animals to run harder,” explains Anshumali Vashishth of the Animal Care Society. “Constant running raises their blood pressure to unsafe levels. We frequently receive calls to save animals, but the violence on these routes makes it difficult for an ambulance to pass.”
Despite the difficulty of enforcing the law, the police are nonetheless on high alert. “We urge villagers to stop these races and have taken action against violators with a larger force deployed this year and continuous patrolling,” says IG Meerut Range Nachiket Jha. “All that prevents things from getting out of control is our attention to detail. We’ve been able to significantly reduce this threat over the years,” Jha continues.
While the organisers design the courses, share the prize money, and prepare the animals for months in advance, the villagers view the races as a test of honour and endurance. Kale Naval, the winner of this year’s most competitive race, says, “Our 28km race from Meerut to Hapur, which we completed in 1 hour and 28 minutes, was a matter of pride for the village.” “With more than a thousand bikes riding alongside, it was a huge event.”
To prepare for the demanding competition, in Bulandar, villagers give their bulls a healthy diet of ghee, milk, and gram. They even give them horseshoes for traction. The proud owner of a prize bull, Pauli Singh, exclaims, “Raja is the pride of our community. He’s faster than any other bull.”