After a subdued ‘Mattu’ Pongal celebration, the residents of Kanjirankudi, Velanur and Melavalasai in the district tied black ribbons to the horns of bulls and hoisted black flags at their houses, protestingthe ban on Jallikattu and other village sports involving bulls.
As there was no sign of the ban being lifted, the villagers, after celebrating ‘Mattu’ Pongal, the second day of the harvest festival celebrated to thank the cattle for helping the farmers in agricultural activities, tied black flags and ribbons to their horns to express their dismay over the ban.
Festival organiser C.S. Madhurai Veeran of Melavalasai village in Kanjirankudi panchayat said they were organising ‘Erudhukattu’ a form of the bull-taming sport, being organised during Pongal festival for the past four centuries, but could not organise it last year and this year.
Erudhukattu would be organised, coinciding with the Ayyanar temple festival, in the village every year and people from 20 nearby villages and other places in Sivaganga and Madurai districts would bring their bulls to take part in the sport, he said.
“We could not celebrate Pongal festival with traditional spirit and enthusiasm as we could not organise Erudhukattu,” he said. The protest was to express their dismay over the ban and urge the Central and the State governments to take steps to lift the ban, imposed by the Supreme Court, he added.
Meanwhile, police arrested two persons for organising cockfight in connection with Pongal at Pudugramam in Sayalkudi police limits on Friday.
The police charged the accused, V. Pachaithanni and B. Madasamy, with gambling during cockfight. They seized Rs 200 cash and four birds, used in the cockfight, the police also added.
