Cockfights are no mere pastime in Bali. They are, or are supposed to be, sacred Hindu rituals where evil spirits are appeased by the blood of the looser being spilled. Gods and spirits, many of them evil, are legion in the Hindu pantheon.

Like all forms of gambling, cockfights are illegal in Bali but tolerated when they are organised during a temple festival, often in adjacent stadiums, built for this purpose.

The taji, the sharp steel blade which is affixed to the leg of the fighting cock is considered magically powerful. Precautions have to be taken when they are forged, offerings have to...