Jallikattu: Ready for adrenaline rush

Jubilation spilled on to the roads of various villages in southern districts after news of Centre allowing the conduct of jallikkattu (taming of bulls) spread like wild fire, bringing a smile on their faces nearly after two years.

“Now my son can prove his valour in the jallikattu during this Pongal festival. Kalliamman (village deity) has fulfilled our prayers,” said Kallumayi (39), turning to light a lamp at Kalliamman temple in Alanganallur and offer prayer in thanksgiving for safeguarding their traditional sport jallikattu.

The villagers believe that the Central government lifting ban on jallikattu just close to Pongal festival only because of the divine intervention. Minutes after the news spread in the village, women gathered in the temple to offer prayer. The world famous Alanganallur jallikattu was organised for this village temple located close to Vaadivasal, a narrow pathway from where the bulls are released one by one during the sport.

The youth bull tamers were seen dancing to the tunes of the folk music near Vaadivasal. Some have worshipped Vaadivasal pouring milk on it. “Since the Supreme Court banned the sport, my son stopped talking properly with us. After long time, I see him dancing in joy in the village,” said Kallumayi. “Actually I decided to participate in the hunger strike organised by our villagers demanding to lift the ban against jallikattu in the morning. But when I heard the news, it is like my dream has come true,” said Kallumayi’s son Saravankumar, a young bull tamer.

A few metres away from Vaadivasal, jallikattu organizing committee members and village elders are seen worshiping another village deity Muthalamman. Temple priest Raja Swamy who was seen showing the lamp towards the sky during the prayer, said, “Evil spirit has left our village now. No more death in our village,” he said adding that nearly 50 people have died due to disease and accident in the last two years.

“Our forefathers witnessed similar situation when they didn’t conduct jallikattu in 1961. Thereafter, we never stopped it,” he said. Though it is only a week left for Pongal, Alanganallur municipality chairperson Geeta Balaji said it is not difficult for them to organize jallikattu. “In 2007, the Supreme Court gave permission for jallikattu only a day before the event was scheduled, but we organised it successfully. For this year, we have already started the preparatory work,” she said pointing to the washing machines, refrigerator water coolers and cloth bureau purchased to give away as prizes to winners.

The bull owners from various parts of the state, including Tiruchy, Madurai, Theni, Dindigul, Sivagangai and Thanjavur have assured their participation to the organising committee. “In the last jallikattu nearly 600 bulls participated in the sport, we expect good numbers this time too. We will strictly adhere to the guidelines issued by the government and ensure safety of bulls and tamers,” said Sudarrajan, member of Jallikattu festival organising committee.

Similarly in the Palamedu village, the Mahalingaswamy Madam committee has started the preparatory work. The committee has already cleaned the open ground where the sport would be organised. The villagers also celebrated the government announcement listening to film songs near Vaadivasal.

Like many villages in Madurai district, people from Dindigul, Theni and Sivagangai districts also celebrated the lifting of ban on jallikattu. College students also celebrated it exchanging greeting with professors when they heard the news. “Many students rushed to their houses to prepare their bulls for the sports,” said A. Sivakozhundu, assistant professor at Senthamarai College of Arts and Science, Madurai

There is no question of dearth of bulls because the sport was not organised for the last two years. Tamil Nadu Jallikattu Peravai president Rajendran who has been consistently fighting to lift the ban against jallikattu said people have sufficient bulls to make the sport a grand success this year. “A few urban elites thought that farmers wouldn’t take steps to preserve the jallikattu tradition, but it was proved wrong today,” he said thanking both the Central and state government for supporting the farmers.

However, Radhakrishnan has made the presence of BJP in rural areas of Madurai district which so far has a strong presence of Dravidian parties. It is evident from the fact that the people repeatedly mention the name of Pon. Radhakrishnan whenever television crew approach them.

“We thank the minister for taking steps to safeguard our tradition,” said a section of people at Palamedu when this correspondent interacted with them. People say they have often watched Radhakrishnan in television news defending jallikattu despite facing strong resistance from animal activists.

“Why shouldn’t we vote for him in the forthcoming assembly election,” asked A. Satishkumar from Palamedu village. He added that the minister should visit the village when they conduct the event.

But many in Palamedu and Alanganallur said it is the duty of the Union minister from Tamil Nadu to fight for people’s issues in Parliament. It was not only the minister fighting for the cause. “For instance for the last two years, Tamil Nadu Jallikattu Peravai President Rajendran has been spending money from his pocket to safeguard our tradition,” said Bose, a villager from Alanganallur.

People also said one shouldn’t seek political mileage from the bull taming sport. “We have affiliation to various political parties, but when it comes to jallikattu, we sink all our political differences and work unitedly to safeguard our tradition,” said the villagers.