Godavari-Style Betting Arenas Mushroom Around Vijayawada for Sankranti
Organisers are also alleged to have arranged spot-cash facilities for those arriving without money
VIJAYAWADA: High-stakes betting arenas modelled on the famed Godavari district cockfights have sprung up on a massive scale around the outskirts of Vijayawada ahead of the three-day Sankranti festival, drawing thousands of spectators and punters.
Large barulu (betting enclosures) have come up in gardens and vacant layouts along major highways on the city’s fringes, with organisers setting up gallery-style seating for 4,000 to 5,000 people at a time. Entry is restricted to token-holders, who are also being provided food and refreshments.
Despite being illegal, cockfights and ram fights continue to be treated as a traditional part of Sankranti festivities. Alongside the betting arenas, organisers have arranged exhibitions, rangoli competitions for women, giant wheels and other amusements for children, as well as food courts serving festive delicacies.
Across Vijayawada and parts of Krishna district, cockfighting venues have come up in areas such as Ramavarappadu, Nunna, Gannavaram and Ampapuram. Bets are reportedly running into lakhs of rupees, with open announcements being made at several locations. Organisers are also alleged to have arranged spot-cash facilities for those arriving without money.
Gannavaram constituency has emerged as a major hub, with reports indicating that in Ampapuram, Hanuman Junction, Unguturu and Bapulapadu, hundreds of acres have been earmarked for arenas, each occupying up to two acres. Air-conditioned enclosures, large parking facilities and multiple categories of entry passes — VIP, A-grade VIP and B-grade VIP — have been arranged.
Entry passes are reportedly priced at `60,000 for A-grade, `40,000 for B-grade and `25,000 for VIP access, allowing pass-holders to enter and exit freely over three days along with two companions. Separate tagging systems are also in place for card players.
In areas such as Ramavarappadu and Enikepadu in Vijayawada rural mandal, special enclosures have been set up for VIPs and NRIs, with entry fees ranging from `5,000 to `10,000, along with liquor and food stalls operating at the venues.
With the expected heavy turnout, organisers are said to have hired large numbers of bouncers from Hyderabad to manage crowds and security during the festival.
