Tamers frenziedly vie to grapple with bulls, Palamedu sustains 'jallikattu' fervour in TN

An 18-year-old spectator was gored to death by a raging bull at the Avaniyapuram Jallikattu.An elaborate security arrangement was made by the police and for the first time the administration live-streamed the Palamedu Jallikattu, the second high-profile competition in the district.

Madurai, Jan 15 (PTI): The 'jallikattu' at Palamedu here witnessed an intense contest that concluded on Saturday evening with a youth from Madurai taming 21 bulls. Prabhakaran of Podumbu, who had distinguished himself at the jallikattu sporting events in the last two years, was adjudged the best tamer of this season. Another youth Karthik Raja of Madurai overpowered seven bulls and was adjudged the second best tamer. Interestingly, a bull belonging to Suravali of Puliyur ran into the arena untouched by any tamer and in recognition of its victory, its owner was given the first prize - a car. Another bull belonging to Prakash was given the second prize.

As the bulls darted into the arena with ferocity, frenzied tamers, mostly youth, vied with one another to grapple with the animals. The men refused to give up every time despite being flung by the bulls. As the majestic bulls and determined tamers battled it out to display their prowess, Palamedu sustained the Pongal jallikattu fervour in Tami Nadu on Saturday. About 179 bulls were released into the crowd of enthusiastic tamers at the end of the second round of competition. The sport which commenced at 7.30 AM was flagged off by State Ministers P Moorthy and P T R Palanivel Thiyagarajan, and it saw about 729 bulls released into the arena. Nearly 17 people, including tamers, bull owners and spectators sustained injuries, said a senior police official.

As the bulls were released one after the other in quick succession, the tamers gathered around them and attempted to grab the large hump with both their hands and cling on to it as the bull tried to flee. And the spectators cheered lustily.

Those animals which refused to be tamed were announced as winners. At least two bulls had a free run when none succeeded to go near them, at the end of the second round. Anticipation and disappointment alternated the feelings of the spectators when the bulls were tamed or had a free run.

The Avaniyapuram Jallikattu here on Friday kicked off of the first jallikattu competitions during the Pongal (harvest) festival in the district in style and nearly 641 bulls aggressively stormed into the arena. An 18-year-old spectator was gored to death by a raging bull at the Avaniyapuram Jallikattu.

An elaborate security arrangement was made by the police and for the first time the administration live-streamed the Palamedu Jallikattu, the second high-profile competition in the district. “The arrangements were better and the approvals quick this time. I had registered online for the competition and was glad to be part of the Palamedu jallikattu again,” said Prabhakaran. He had won the competition in 2020 and 2021. This was the third successive victory, claimed Prabhakaran. He urged the State government to recognise the valour of the youth who win in jallikattu by providing them government job. “Already, the government has played a key role in ensuring this traditional sport is held in Tamil Nadu. I wish the government offers a government job to the winners, considering this traditional sport on par with national or international events,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mattu Pongal, the third day celebrations of the Pongal festival, was observed with fervour. Cattle owners took the animals to beaches, lakes and ponds to bathe their prized possessions. The animals were sumptuously fed and their horns decorated. For their part, families offered cooked rice with banana leaf to the cows and calves.

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