Jallikattu will be held at Avaniapuram on Sunday, the day of Pongal. The town is hosting the event after a gap of three years. Bulls and their tamers started arriving in the town since Saturday.
M. Prabhu, a bull owner, said that although the State-wide protests made it impossible to hold jallikattu in January last year. It could be arranged only in February. “The speciality of Avaniapuram jallikattu is that it happens on the day of Pongal, when all our relatives from different places will be here. The event is intertwined with Pongal celebrations at our place. We are glad that it is happening this year,” he said.
A.K. Kannan, president of the Jallikattu Organising Committee in Avaniapuram, said that around 650 bulls and 950 tamers had registered for this year’s event. “Last year, it was not possible to allow all bulls to enter the arena due to paucity of time. This time, we hope to accommodate all of them,” he said.
Elaborate arrangements
Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao, who inspected the venue on Saturday evening, said all arrangements were made as per the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Conduct of Jallikattu) Rules of 2017.
According to him, 12 veterinary teams, two veterinary ambulances, 10 medical teams for treating injured bull tamers, 10 ambulances, and four fire trucks will be deployed at the venue on Sunday.
A special ward has been set up at the Government Rajaji Hospital to treat injured bull tamers.
Around 650 police personnel will be deployed for security. The jallikattu arena, vaadivasal, and exit points for bulls have been brought under the surveillance cameras. A team of revenue, police and Madurai Corporation officials has been formed to ensure that all safety measures were followed.
Mr. Rao said that a jallikattu audit committee had been formed for the first time with non-officials as members to independently review the arrangements.
Earlier, members from the Animal Welfare Board of India inspected the arrangements at Avaniapuram, Palamedu and Alanganallur.
