Kalapoot Race Photography in Palakkad, Kerala | Capturing Kerala’s Traditional Cattle Racing Sport

My photography experience in Palakkad has largely revolved around one of the most intense rural sporting traditions I have ever witnessed — the Kalapoot races, Kerala’s traditional cattle racing events conducted in flooded paddy fields during the harvest season.

Over the last two years, I have tried to attend these races whenever I travel to Kerala, and every single visit has been visually chaotic, physically demanding, and deeply rewarding from a photography perspective.

What is Kalapoot?

Kalapoot is a traditional rural racing event where specially trained cattle sprint through water-filled paddy fields alongside handlers who run with them at extraordinary speed.

The races are unbelievably fast. Covering roughly 100 meters in just a few seconds, the athletes and cattle together create one of the most visually explosive sporting environments I have photographed.

While the runners are obviously assisted by the pull generated by the cattle, the sheer athleticism involved is incredible. Watching them sprint through mud and water at that pace feels surreal in person.

A photographer’s dream — and challenge

For action photography, Kalapoot is unlike any mainstream sport.

The races happen in flooded paddy fields, meaning:

• Water splashes continuously toward the camera

• Subjects move at extremely high speed

• Focus tracking becomes critical

• Timing matters more than burst shooting alone

One of my favorite techniques has been attempting head-on shots as the cattle charge directly toward the camera position. But that also comes with serious risks.

You need to move away at the perfect moment because:

• The ground is slippery

• Visibility is reduced due to water splashes

• The cattle continue charging forward even after the finish

In fact, one fellow photographer near me slipped during a race and injured his ankle while trying to avoid an approaching animal.

Ethical debate around the sport

Like many traditional animal-based sporting events in India, Kalapoot has also faced criticism from animal rights groups over concerns related to animal welfare.

From my observation, however, the environment felt very different from more aggressive animal sports seen elsewhere in the country. The cattle involved are typically:

• Well-fed

• Groomed regularly

• Given dedicated care and recovery

• Treated as valuable sporting animals rather than working livestock

That said, debates around ethics and animal handling continue, and it remains important for organizers to ensure the welfare standards of the animals remain protected.

Why this experience stayed with me

What stayed with me most about photographing Kalapoot was the raw energy of the sport. There are no polished stadiums, controlled lighting setups, or barriers separating you from the action.

It is just:

• Mud

• Water

• Speed

• Rural tradition

• Instinctive photography under pressure

Every race lasts only a few seconds, but those few seconds demand complete concentration from both athletes and photographers.

Final thoughts

Photographing Kalapoot in Palakkad gave me one of the most intense action photography experiences of my career so far. It pushed my reflexes, timing, and situational awareness in ways very few sports have.

More importantly, it introduced me to a traditional sporting culture that still survives outside mainstream media attention — one deeply connected to Kerala’s agricultural heritage and rural identity.