QUAIL FIGHTS: LUCKNOW NAWABS
The need of quail has always been considered a delicacy fit for royalty all over the India. The Nawabs of Lucknow, however enjoyed quail in a different way by watching them fight. Although the sport enjoyed by any Nawabs of Lucknow, Nawab Naseer-ud-din Haider, evinced special interest. Naseer-ud-din Haider was inordinately fond of watching quails fight on his table.
History
Quail fighting or bater bazi is believed to have been introduced in Lucknow by the ancestors of renowned courtesans migrated from Punjab during the rule of Nawab Saadat Ali Khan. As quail fighting did not require a large area and a very long or even a long period of time it is all possible to organize this to this game at the house of the elite.
All though many varieties of quails were available in the region experts preferred the button quail . While taming and training the bird a part from other time tested methods, trainers whetted their beaks with penknives to make them more Lethal
There were a few quail operators would adopted unethical practices. They applied poisonous oil and the breaks their quails; the opponent bird would then run away in the battle in the middle of the fight later die of poisoning. There were others who fed their quails intoxicants before the fights so that the birds oblivious of its wounds would keep fighting.Β Β
It is on record that an expert at preparing intoxicated pills for birds was so sought after that he could sell each pill for as much as rupees 10Β .
To start fight between the quails, grain was spread on the ground, birds have then Released. Quails have a tendency to attack each other on the head with their beaks and claws. Generally these quail fights were decided within twenty minutes, after which time the weaker quail usually ran away from the fight.
A large amount of money was lost and won bating of this fights. Quail fighters like Khwja Hasan Chhanga, Mir Abdi and Mir Abdul were well known for their skills. Β Β Β The terminology used in quail fights was unique. When newly trained quail successfully fights in the first season it was called Nau Kar. Β when it appeared for another season it was called Kueries.Β
Quail owners were very proud of their Birds.