Cock fight

  Civilization has seen many varieties of entertainment and glitz. Since ages men and women have enjoyed wrestling, boxing, sprinting, etc. These are all activities performed by human beings. But, there are few other sources of sport entertainment that involves animals specially bulls, horses and cocks. Cock-fight one of the most exciting and challenging sport not only between humans(as they are the betters)and cocks which are fed and raised for the purpose of these fights. The stakes are quite high and the challenge is nail biting and nerve wrecking. Sometimes the contest? becomes so. aggressive that it is almost like do or die situation. Now, ofcourse as these type of activities are banned either due to the efforts of animal activists or other agencies the so called sport continues to progress and prosper stealthily. The painting prompt is that of a cock fight happening amidst so many people who look like slaves, clergymen, knights and kings. The match sometimes called Colonel Mordaunt's cock fight is a painting made by the German British artist Johann Zoffany. Come let us read an interesting story around this theme or painting.         

The students of Sun City were excited about an event that was going to be held in their School auditorium during the weekend. The event to be held was spoken in high esteem by the class monitor kriti. She herself was a good painter who specialised in oil painting on canvas. She had won many awards and prizes often. As the students inquisitiveness was in the peak she just hinted that paintings of historical importance will be there for them to see only one or two only of that category. So, the much-awaited session began in the afternoon. All the students were in a proper line spacing maintaining discipline and proper etiquette. As they kept looking at each painting their mind was filled with so many questions which they noted down in their school diary. Those would be discussed in the class the next day as was told by the history teacher shikha . Kriti was specially attracted to one painting that was very colourful and impressive too. The information about the painting was tagged along and it spoke in detail about it. The artist was Colonel Mordaunt who was a vintage orientalist specialised in paintings of Royal lineage and kingdoms. The Indian version was made by Johann Zofan. On closer observation of the writeup along with the painting, it was observed by the students that a cock fight is being played out in the Court of Nawab of Oudh Asad-ud-Daula in Lucknow. Students were eager to know more about what the fight was really about. The writeup mentioned pitting two cockerels against one another with wagers and bets being out out by the audience. In the painting it was observed that two men are surrounded by various figures both European and Indian. There are crowds of people who look Indian in the background of the painting who seem to be engrossed in deep thought and discussion may be about which one will win. It was after all a game of betting . The men are dressed in Indian attire like turbans, topi's and sarees as well.

The painting gave a glimpse about how Indians were treated as second grade citizens in their own land. The painting even prominently shows British sitting on couch while Indians are squatting on the floor. Few of them are seen holding cocks may be waiting for their turn in the betting. The students were not having much idea about what betting was except for a few who had the knowledge credit news on television about cricket betting etc Each one of them had their own interpretation about the painting, but the familiar feeling among all of them was how Indians were treated by the British empire for about 300 years or so. Another point that each one noted was about the atrocities committed against the innocent cocks who are trained to fight without any reason just for the sake of entertainment and betting. The cocks end up injured and sometimes they get killed also. After noting down all the points to be discussed in the class on the next day of School the students came out of the auditorium rich with knowledge about the art of painting whether it was oil painting on canvas or sketches and portrait painting the list goes on because painting is a vast domain with a lot of depth and colours.