After a turbulent 2017, which witnessed widespread protests for jallikattu, resulting in Tamil Nadu government enacting a special legislation to circumvent the ban on the sport, the three places in Madurai renowned for the sport – Alanganallur, Palamedu and Avaniapuram – are gearing up for a ‘regular’ jallikattu during Pongal.
J. Sundarrajan, president, Jallikattu Organising Committee, Alanganallur, said that last year was ‘historic’ because of the spontaneous State-wide protests. “Though protests happened even before Pongal in Chennai, it was the sit-in protest throughout a day and night in Alanganallur, two days after Pongal, that flared up the entire State,” he said.
He also pointed out that the organising committee had to cancel the arrangements made for jallikattu once during the course of the protest as a majority of the protesters refused to accept the ordinance passed by the State government and insisted on passing it as law in the Legislative Assembly.
The then Chief Minister, O. Panneerselvam, who came to Madurai to inaugurate jallikattu in Alanganallur, had to return as the protesters refused to give up and blocked a majority of the roads leading to the village.
“Finally, jallikattu happened only on February 10, 2017. This year, however, we are expecting the event to be a smooth affair,” he said.
Echoing his thoughts, P. Karthigai Rajan, secretary, Palamedu Grama Podhu Mahalingaswamy Madathu Committee, which is in charge of organising jallikattu in Palamedu, said that last year witnessed unusually large number of visitors because of the protests.
“People came in large groups from different places across the State. We even erected a separate gallery to accommodate those who participated in the protest. We are not sure if there will be similar participation this year,” he said.
A.K. Kannan, president, Jallikattu Organising Committee, Avaniyapuram, which hosts the first jallikattu in the district on the day of Pongal, followed by Palamedu and Alanganallur, said that enthusiasm among the sponsors was also slightly less this year.
“Last year, sponsors were proactive. In Alanganallur and Palamedu, even cars and expensive bikes were given away as gifts. It is not the same this year. It is also because the businesses are not generally doing well due to new tax regime and other factors,” he said.
Organisers in all the three villages, however, said that they had begun to receive overwhelming enquiries from bull owners and tamers.
The vaadi vasal and galleries are already sporting a new look and the temple rituals, to be performed ahead of the event, would begin in a few days, the organisers said.
Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao has called for a meeting on Wednesday with the organisers and officials from various departments to discuss the arrangements to be made.
