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PATHANAMTHITTA: The flags will go up and the celebrations will begin, but the familiar thunder of hooves will be missing from Anandapally, Adoor, this Independence Day. The village’s traditional maramadi race, once a major August 15 attraction, remains suspended as the Bill passed to revive the sport has yet to clear the required legal and procedural hurdles.

“The Bill was passed by the Kerala Assembly on October 9, 2025, towards reviving these traditional agricultural sports. However, the required follow-up procedures were not completed before the previous government demitted office, leaving the legislation in limbo,” said Varghese Daniel, president of Karshaka Samithi, the organisers of the farm sport.

A ban that began in 2008

The maramadi race has remained under the shadow of a ban since 2008, when the Centre prohibited such events citing animal cruelty in the wake of the controversy surrounding jallikattu in Tamil Nadu.

Persistent efforts by the organisers secured permission to conduct the 60th maramadi competition in 2012. However, the event could not be revived thereafter at the Palassery paddy fields.

“Following a strong youth movement in Tamil Nadu against the ban on jallikattu, the Centre amended the law in 2017, allowing states to pass legislation to permit traditional events,” Daniel pointed out.

Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Maharashtra subsequently passed legislation and resumed their respective traditional events. Kerala, however, took several years to introduce a Bill in the assembly. Though the previous LDF government eventually passed the Bill during its final assembly session, the lack of subsequent action has prevented the traditional sport from returning to Anandapally, he added.