Chennai, January 14: The Pongal celebrations in Tamil Nadu have begun in full swing with the commencement of the annual Jallikattu at Avaniyapuram in Madurai district. The bull-taming event, one of the most anticipated in the state, witnessed the participation of 1,100 bulls and 900 skilled bull tamers.
This year, the event featured exciting new prizes: the owner of the winning bull will receive a tractor, while the best bull tamer will be awarded a car valued at Rs 8 lakh. With such attractive rewards, the competition has drawn a large crowd. To ensure safety, the authorities have implemented extensive security measures for both participants and spectators.
The competition takes place over multiple rounds, each involving up to 50 tamers attempting to control the bulls as they charge out of the Vadivasal (animal entrance) into the arena. The event began after thorough medical checks were conducted on both the bulls and the tamers to ensure their well-being.
Avaniyapuram’s Jallikattu is the first major event marking the Pongal festival in Tamil Nadu. Following this, the next bull-taming competitions will take place on January 15 at Palamedu, and on January 16 in Alanganallur.
In Jallikattu, bulls, often smeared with sandalwood paste, leap from the Vadivasal entrance, and young men attempt to grab the bulls by their humps, holding on for as long as possible to tame them. While the Thatchankurichi Jallikattu in Pudukottai district had kicked off the season a few days earlier, the events in Madurai, starting with Avaniyapuram, are the most renowned.
Although Jallikattu is a centuries-old tradition linked to the harvest festival, it has faced legal challenges. After the death of a spectator in 2006, the Madras High Court imposed a ban, which was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2014. Following widespread protests, the Tamil Nadu government temporarily lifted the ban in 2017 and amended the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, permitting the sport to continue. In May 2023, the Supreme Court upheld these amendments, ensuring that Jallikattu and other traditional bull-taming sports remain a part of the cultural heritage.
