TIRUCHI
A video clip showing a man announcing through ‘tom tom’ that a 21-year-old woman would be offered as gift to the person who tames a bull during the jallikattu to be held at Periya Anaikaraipatti village near Vaiyampatti in the district triggered an outrage on Monday.
The video was widely shared via mobile messaging platforms and on social media. However, the jallikattu organisers said there was no such offer and the aged man who was hired for making the tom tom ( thandora ) announcement had apparently acted under the influence of alcohol.
The ‘announcement’ was made by Palanisamy, aged about 70, at Vaiyampatti Sandhai on Saturday evening. The video clip shows him declaring the date of the jallikattu at Periya Anaikaraipatti village on January 21. “A 21-year-old unmarried woman from Mettupatti in Salem district will bring a bull along with her and whosoever tames the animal can take the woman and the bull as gifts,” he is seen declaring in the video.
As the news of the ‘announcement’ reached them, the organisers grilled Palanisamy on Saturday evening and took him to Vaiyampatti police station on Sunday. The police quizzed Palanisamy about the statement but let him off later after he reportedly apologised for his action. The sources said the man could have made the claim to create a sensation.
The ‘announcement’ resulted in a huge embarrassment to the event organisers. “The aged man was engaged only to announce the event and invite general public through thandora , which is a customary practice,” said one of the organisers.
