During the months of June /July 2017 during my travel across Europe on Friday (7/7/2017) was in San Fermin in Spain and got to witness the World famous "Running of the Bulls" at the 2017-San Fermin Festival .A scene of this annual San Fermin "Running of the Bulls" was immortalized in the 2011 Hindi film "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara". Read my travelogue :-https://scandinaviawesterneurope.blogspot.com/2017/06/europe-continent-solo-adventure.html . In 2024 having completed my travel across 100 Countries around the Globe as well as entire tourist and regional sites of home country India was sad sitting idle at home in the New Year of January 2025. Absolute no travel plans nor a New Year's eve celebration in home city Mumbai.Eureka! Spotted the missing link in my Indian tour travels. Having been to distant Spain to watch the "Running of the Bulls" in San Fermin realized i had never ever witnessed the 2500 year old festival of "Taming of the Bulls" called "Jallikattu(Sallikattu)" in my own country, India.Better late than too late ! Jallikattu(Sallikattu), also known as Eru Taḻuvuṭal and Manju -Virattu in Tamil language is a traditional sport of Tamil Nadu that is celebrated on the third day of Pongal called Mattu Pongal Day which usually falls in mid-January every year .Pongal is a 3-day harvest festival celebrated by the Tamil community and is a celebration to thank the Sun, Mother Nature and various farm animals that help to contribute to a bountiful harvest.Jallikattu name is coined from two words, Jalli (meaning silver and gold coins) and Kattu (tied). A Zebu bull,usually of the local Pulikulam or Kangayam breed is let loose among a crowd of people and whoever tames it will get the coins tied to its horn. Traditionally in the old days village youth proved their eligibility in finding a bride through competing in Jallikattu events . Pulikulam or Kangayam breed of bulls is considered most suitable for the sport of Jallikattu. The bulls which win in the festival are in high demand in the market, and fetch the highest price and are also used for breeding.Unlike the San Fermin "Running of the Bulls" festival where the bulls are finally slaughtered by the matador in the bull ring stadium in Jallikattu the participating bulls are not killed but subdued(tamed) by the human contestants.Vadi manjuviraṭṭu, Vēli viraṭṭu, Vaṭam manjuviraṭṭu are the variants of this sport and each version of the sport has different rules. .Bulls enter the competition area through a gate called the "Vadi Vasal(Tamil)" and participants must only hold onto the bull's hump. In some variations, they are disqualified if they hold onto the bull's neck, horns or tail. There may be several rules to the game depending on the region. In some versions, contestants must either hold the bull's hump for 30 seconds or cling to the bull for 15 metres run (49 ft). If the contestant is thrown by the bull or falls, they lose. Some variations only allow for one contestant. If two people grab the hump, then neither person wins. "P.E.T.A" and other "Animal Rights" groups have campaigned for banning Jallikattu and were successful in getting the sport banned on and off since 2006 in a game of political debate and animal cruelty. Since 2017 the ban on Jallikattu has been removed by the Tamil Nadu legislature after a protest rally on Sunday 8th January 2017 by several hundreds of protesters at Chennai Marina opposing the ban on Jallikattu.
The first Jallikattu event of Tamil Nadu for 2025 was held on Sunday 4th January at Thatchankurichi village in the Gandarvakottai taluk of Pudukkottai district. This marks the beginning of the Pongal celebrations and the Jallikattu season in the state of Tamil Nadu. Over 600 bulls and 350 bull-taming participants took part in this iconic event held in Thatchankurichi village, symbolizing Tamil Nadu’s rich cultural heritage.Normally upto the 1970's this sport was popular among locals only in the villages of Avaniyapuram,Palamedu and Alanganallur of Madurai district. Over the years with foreigners as well as outstation Indians from other States as spectators this animal sport spread to other villages of Tamil Nadu.With arrival of "Internet Technology" registration of bull tamers and bull owners is done on-line .In recent years "Corporate Sponsorship" for major Jallikattu events with luxury prizes has to some extent commercialized this once common rural sport of Tamil Nadu.An average sum of Rs 10-15 lakhs is spent by organizers on conducting the common Jallikattu held in villages while the bull owner spends a average of Rs 1-2 Lakhs on rearing a Jallikattu bull which is fed a special diet as also requiring training and exercise . Last year in 2023 the sport of Jallikattu was held in over 600 village locales across Tamil Nadu proving the popularity of this agrarian cultural sport. For the events in Avaniyapuram,Palamedu and Alanganallur villages in Madurai district the on-line registration for "Bull Tamers" and "Bull Owners" began on Monday 6th January and closed on Tuesday 7th January through the official district website madurai.nic.in. A total of 12,632 bulls and 5,347 bull-tamers registered online Among the registrations, 5,786 bulls and 1,698 participants signed up for Alanganallur Jallikattu, 4,820 bulls and 1,914 participants for Palamedu Jallikattu , and 2,026 bulls and and 1,735 participants for Avaniyapuram Jallikattu .The district administration after verifying the eligibility of the bulls and participants will issue the approved individuals online tokens featuring a QR code via email or SMS. These tokens must be downloaded and presented at the respective events for entry.Any instances of fake tokens being used by bull owners or participants would result in severe legal action by the Jallikattu authorities of that particular venue.Bull owners also have to get their participating bulls medically certified by obtaining a certificate from Veterinary dispensary of hospitals.This veterinary fitness certificate is valid for 6 months.Bulls must be at least three years old, free of deformities or injuries, and meet a minimum height requirement of 120cm(47 Inches),excluding the hump, to qualify for Jallikattu. As for.me would be only attending the Jallikattu festival in Madurai,a 36 hour train journey from Mumbai.
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