The much-awaited bull-taming festival is here and Palamedu is among the first towns in southern Tamil Nadu to host it. The traditional tamil adventure sport will be held in various parts of Tamil Nadu for almost a month on the sidelines of Pongal festival.
The bulls are trained for the event for almost a year and so are the tamers. S. James captures the fight between the raging bulls and the youthful tamers.
The annual bull-taming jallikattu festivity was conducted in Palamedu near Madurai on January 15, 2018. Photo : S. James
To particpate in the jallikattu, a bull has to be minimum four-feet tall and should have completed three years of age. The bull owners should submit a fitness certificate issued by a veterinary hospital.
A bull tamer must have completed 20-years of age in order to be a participated. He should produce a valid proof for age, and a fitness certificate. A medical team will examine the participants prior to entering the arena.
Both the tamer and the bull undergo rigrous practice throughout the year before entering the arena.
A total of 458 bulls participated in the event
As many as 2000 youth registered for the Palamedu jallikattu. After medical scrutiny, 1,241of them were allowed to register for the event. Before entering the arena, the bull tamers will be checked to ensure they are not under the influence of alcohol.
Bulls participating in the event too undergo medical tests. Only the trainer will be allowed to accompany the bull to vadivasal, the main entrance of the arena.
In order to be declared as a winner, the tamer has to ride on the bull for a specified distance holding it. If no tamer manages to do the feat, the owner gets the prize.
Though the audience are kept at a safe distance from the arena, some bulls tend to move towards the crowd. One spectator was gored to death when the bull deviated its path and attacked the audience.
As many as 25 persons were reportedly injured in the Palamedu jallikattu. They are being treated at Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai.
A bull owner, whose bull could not be tamed by fighters, collects his prize — a goat.