Bulls and men compete at Tamil Nadu's Palamedu 'Jallikattu'

Madurai, January 15

Bulls and men tried to get the better of each other during the bull-taming sport ‘Jallikattu’, a key event of the Pongal harvest festival celebrations, that was held here on Friday at the sprawling Palamedu sporting arena.

A test of grit was on full display with the animals fiercely trying to get past the waiting men while the tamers attempted to hang on to their humps to emerge victorious.

The animals were let out one after the other from ‘Vadivasal,’ a narrow entrance to the sporting arena after announcements on the bull, like who owned it and so on.

As tens of hundreds of spectators cheered from the gallery, about 700 bulls and 600 plus men took part in the sport which stretched to eight rounds amid tight security and a number of people, which includes participants, sustained injuries.

Organisers repeatedly directed enthusiastic tamers through the public address system to ensure that only one of them took on the bull and advised them on ‘don’ts’ like avoiding touching the horns of the animals.

The bull owners were given prizes after their animals outmanoeuvred the men waiting to outwit them and the participants were rewarded when they managed to cling to the hump of the bulls for a while.

Over 100 bulls and men were declared winners and the prizes given away include a range of things including bicycles, gold coins, utensils, and chairs.

The event management committee announced here that the first prize, a car, went to a local youth who dominated 18 bulls.

The first prize for the ‘best bull’ went to a local association which got a cow and a calf as prize.

The second and third prizes for best tamers went to men who controlled 17 and 10 bulls respectively.

The second prize winner however contested the decision of the committee in deciding the first prize winner and he declined to accept the second spot and left the premises.

The youth who managed to control 18 bulls said he is pursuing diploma in civil engineering course.

Elaborate preparations preceded the event, which coincides with ‘Mattu’ Pongal celebrations to honour cattle that help farming.

Men seeking to dominate the bulls were tested for coronavirus and animals were examined by veterinarians.

The opening ‘Jallikattu’ of the Pongal season was held at Avaniapuram here on Thursday. It was witnessed by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and DMK youth wing secretary Udhayanidhi Stalin and others. — PTI