Engineer Mohit Ghatak was intrigued when he saw images of the Maramadi bull race in Kerala.
He did his research and decided that he should visit Palakkad to witness the event himself, as he believed it would be a once-in-a-lifetime cultural experience.
The photography hobbyist was positive that the exciting traditional sport would give him opportunities to highlight the heritage and skills of the local community and engage with the culture and traditions of Kerala.
Unlike Tamil Nadu’s jallikattu, which involves taming a bull, Maramadi is a sport in which skilled jockeys race in football-field-sized paddy fields, their feet splashing the ankle-deep water as they hang on to the tails of the dashing bulls.
“A friend from Alathur in Kerala informed me of the race date (during the Onam festive season in August), so I managed to reach the Thonippadam village in time,” said Mr Ghatak, a regional business leader at Oracle Corporation.
“The race started at 11am and each run was timed. I had the chance to fine-tune the angle, light and shooting speed, and I got great images of the thundering bulls and captured the emotions, the passion and the excitement.
“A local friend and his son arranged a front-row space for me to shoot the races. They also showed me the safe way of shooting the race head on – jumping to the side when the bulls are about 15m away.”
The Singapore resident of 18 years who hails from Kolkata was impressed by the unity and passion of the community.
“The Maramadi race is a unique celebration of Kerala’s agricultural history,” said Mr Ghatak, whose photographs have been featured in several books and magazines including BirdingAsia, Forktail and Sanctuary Asia.
“This sport not only honours the vital role that bulls have played in the region’s farming practices, but also brings together people from all walks of life to celebrate their shared heritage.
“There was palpable joy and enthusiasm all around. The jockeys exhibited incredible skill and fearlessness. And the muscular bulls seemed to revel in the competition.
“The spectators were swept up by the moment. Families and friends gathered to cheer for their favourite teams, creating an atmosphere of unity and camaraderie.”
V.K. Santosh Kumar
