Word of Caution: Very Sensitive readers may want to avoid few photos depicting cruelty on animals.
Not all relics should be preserved. Nor every tradition and culture are a matter of pride, always.
I was a witness to the death of three bulls in the Plaza de Toros – the main bullfighting arena of Madrid. Before i was there, i had no inkling of what exactly transpires in the bullring. Quite oblivious, and fascinated with the misinformation and misguided by videos and TV clips that bullfighting is just a sport between man and animals to prove one’s superiority, i was sitting in the ‘famous’ bullring of Madrid, dating back to 1929. Interestingly, this bloody sport is also regarded as an example of fine art where matadors exhibit their skills.
Bulls were baited by the matadors. They were chased by them and finally drained off their energies. And then started the most cruel aspect of this bloody sport. Spears with sharp barbs were stabbed in the neck of bulls repeatedly, so as to attempt piercing through their heart. And thus, these powerful bulls were tamed and finally, bled to their slow and torturous death, in the grandeur of tradition and culture.
Any such sport which cannot let men and animals co-exist on this earth are not worthy of applause and cheer. These animals are not for the purpose of your entertainment. Taming and killing animals does not prove the superiority of humans. It is not something to be proud of. Rather it demonstrates the cowardly side – how vulnerable humans are.
With this week’s theme and photos, i would like to create an awareness among many ignorant enthusiasts like me, who visit these rings for the first time, unconsciously, and return back heaving a sigh. Let us put an end to such relics!
Do let us know your thoughts on such cruelty to animals. Shouldn’t these traditions be banned? Will you make the mistake which I committed? Help me in promoting this cause towards animals against such barbaric and mindless killings.
Read my poem Wings on freedom and the better future. I Long to is another such poem with similar theme.
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This blog is part of Daily Post – Weekly Photo Challenge and this week’s theme is Relics.
Suyash Chopra 
I agree with you “Not all relics should be preserved. Nor every tradition and culture are a matter of pride, always”
May be this is a tradition, but it’s not culture.
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Thanks Ana for visiting my blog and understanding my perspective. I hope this tradition ends soon and innocent bulls are spared the pain and agony.
Have a great day Ana 🙂 Suyash
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I have been many times to Spain. I am always tempted to visit a bull fight because my Spanish friends love it. But then I remember the pictures I have seen and refuse. It really should be stopped, the bull doesn’t have the slightest chance.
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You are so true. Bulls really do not stand any chance in front of these skilled matadors. I wish the government listen to the voices of people and stop this agony for poor bulls. Such events should not be encouraged by any just civilization.
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Unfortnately most of the Spaniards love it and call it tradition!
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That’s so inhumane. 😦
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that is so cruel! Thanks for sharing, I’m sure I’m never going to go to one of these
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I am glad you decided against this cruelty. Way to go…:) Thanks for stopping by my posts 🙂
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Nice post Suyash.
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Thanks a lot dear 🙂
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I’ve never seen a bullfight. I had no idea it was like this. Thank you for enlightening us.
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I guess you are lucky that you have not seen it.
Thanks for visiting my blog and I am glad that my post could provide you the awareness regarding this gory act.
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An important message showing man’s not so noble nature.
Thanks for your visit 🙂
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Thanks for your kind words 🙂
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I remember my first time in Spain, watching a bull fight on television. I was overcome with emotion and felt sick to my stomach as I learned exactly what bullfighting really is.
There do exist versions of the sport in which the bulls are not tortured and killed, but in some places it’s so engrained in the culture I find it hard to believe this will change any time soon.
Great post!
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Dear Ted,
Glad that you mentioned that there are other versions of game where bulls are not tortured and killed. I was completely unaware of it. May be more rigid culture and society, adapt themselves to another sporty version of mutual coexistence with animals. But its so difficult, as you rightly said.
Thanks for stopping by my blog. Greatly appreciate it. 🙂
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A powerful piece. You’ve made a great contribution by signaling that a tradition that’s called “sport” is still cruel when its result is animal cruelty. Like cockfighting, dog racing, dog fighting and bull riding! it shouldn’t be tolerated.
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There are many such so-called mindless sports where animals are on the altar for the entertainment of their ‘Lords’ ie Humans. That should end.
Thanks Jann for your kind words and support and for stopping by my blog. Hope the people who support such cruelty also heed to our words.
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Suyash,
“Will you make the mistake which I committed?”
I don’t think you made a mistake… without the impact of personally witnessing this senseless slaughter, your ability to passionately express the message of your post would not have been possible. Thank you for enduring so that you could make this important observation and resulting plea. Some things that seem the MOST in need of change are in fact the most difficult to effect change… I’m thinking of gun control in the United States… another heated topic.
Jane
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That, I guess, is the need of hour for American society to get rid if gun culture. Its so much required as we keep hearing often about tragedies perpetrated by teens.
I agree with you, Jane, that without having experienced it myself, I could not have urged everyone so passionately. To change, one requires a willpower and in society and politics, too, intent and willpower are required to effect the change. Somewhat missing due to vested interests.
Thanks for your kind words dear. 🙂
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Hello, Suyash, thanks for visiting my blog. I particularly appreciate your comment. Your words comforted me.
Thanks for inviting me to your blog. What a heavy subject! I visited Spain once, but didn’t see any bullfight. I know I couldn’t take it. Even reading your post is hard for me. I agree with you. Why can’t we have a peaceful world?
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Good that you did not visit the arena.
This is one question ‘why can’t we have a peaceful world’ which I often asks. So many wars, boundaries, clashes, bloodbath on religious lines n what not. Imagine if there were one world and no visa required to visit any country, no restrictions, everyone living harmoniously. One can roam around the world without any worries and concerns. 🙂
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Yeah..I was never a fan of this so called ‘sport’, where we are killing life for the amusement of others, how does that make us humans anymore evolved? :-\
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That’s the irony 😦
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The most cruel of it too :-\
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Couldn’t agree more with you….
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To think that in this time of “enlightenment” so much cruelty is still perpetrated in the name of “tradition” and “culture” is almost beyond belief and extremely sickening! Much like the poaching crisis facing the rhinos, elephants, tigers, pangolins, etc etc etc…
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True. These are serious concerns. Imagining itself of a day without these beautiful animals seems so preposterous.
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😦 !!!
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Frankly anything like makes me sick, it’s not sport a all, just like fox hunting and the like. If they want to pit themselves against a bull, they should leap them, like the Greeks did (I think it was Greek, I saw a show on it long ago), I don’t think any bulls were killed in that sport.
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Hmmm….yes, that would be the real test of humans then. What a wonderful thought!
Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
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How awful. Thanks for bringing this to people’s attention.
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Let’s share any such cruelty happening anywhere and spread the awareness. 🙂
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I was enamoured by the romance of it. But we walked out halfway when we finally got to see it live! Beautifully captured, despite all the gore. A warning at the start of the post might be warranted for sensitive readers..
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True with me as well. Spain was so enchanting that I too assumed bullfight would be also such an experience. But i was dismayed.
I understand your point of such a mention at the start of blog. And will incorporate it definitely. Thanks for your valuable suggestion. That’s how we can make a better world – by caring and sharing.
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I so agree, Suyash. Some relics should not be preserved. I have never been to a bullfight – never wanted to go. Your photos capture the essence of that cruelty. I hope someday, humans will stop finding it to be entertaining!
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By capturing these photos, my aim was not to disturb anyone because I understand that these are horrible sights. But it was my attempt to bring out that cruelty in front of a wider audience. Let’s hope for a better coexistence in the future.
Thanks for stopping by.
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When I was in Barcelona many years ago I attended a bull fight … part of the Spanish experience, right? … but we left not very far into it. I just couldn’t sit and watch the torment of the bull.
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I understand completely. Even I went to the arena for a Spanish experience but could not withstand it for longer.
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Oh, you are so right, I could hardly bear to look at the pictures. My father got thrown out of a bullring when he was there during the Second world war, because he cheered the bull. The horses can also get horrifically injured too. I understand one Spanish state has banned the practise, so maybe there is hope.
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Ohhh. That must be bad then. I am gladdened to know that a Spanish state has banned them. Let’s hope others also follow.
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I agree with you and it’s a brutal way to kill a bull. It’s a Spanish tradition and will probably last. Sometimes animal protection is just not working everywhere. Probably in an other country you would go to jail killing a bull this way, in Spain the matador is a little hero and watched and applauded by hundreds of spectators. 😦
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In some traditions, it simply so difficult to abolish anything of this kind. Despite that, I hope it happens some day.
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Mindless cruelty. A similar type of cruelty is the one with roosters, played in the villages. It seems a blade is tied to their feet and two roosters have to fight it out. And people enjoy it. Thank you for sharing and creating awareness. Lakshmi Bhat
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Hmmm. I was completely unaware of this practice. Thanks for bringing this out, Lakshmi. Another is Jalikattu in the state of Tamilnadu. Despite Supreme Court putting a ban to it, it still goes on. Animals too deserve respect and a life as mandated by the Almighty.
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A thought provoking post for this week’s photo challenge, Suyash.
Top class images, as always 🙂
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Thanks Sree for your appreciation. I am glad that the post could invoke thought among you and other readers about practices.
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People should stop visiting that place and watching that mindless sport… no audience no show…no bulls will be killed….
Sent from my iPhone
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Very true. That will be the perfect way to stop this game of death.
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How true! Beautiful photographs and message.
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Thanks a lot Archita. Its my small attempt towards making this earth free of bloodstains.
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