Homecoming for bulls from Coimbatore at jallikattu venues

When hundreds of bulls will find their pace through the vaadivasal of Alanganallur on Friday, it will be a homecoming for two bulls that were being readied for over a year in a gaushala on the outskirts of Coimbatore.

The two bulls belonging to the gaushala at Pachavayal near Narsipuram here have already reached Alanganallur where people are awaiting to happen jallikattu at the favourite venue.

The two bulls are among 209 jallikattu bulls brought by P. Sivaganesh, managing director of Shree Devi Textiles, Coimbatore, in February 2015 when the farmers in Madurai were selling the natives breeds for slaughtering following the ban issued by Supreme Court.

“Two of our bulls have already taken part in the jallikattu at Avaniyapuram. They performed well. They found good pace in the ground and no tamer could hang on them,” said Mr. Sivaganesh.

He said that three more bulls had been sent to Palamedu where jallikattu will be conducted on Thursday.

For looking after jallikattu bulls, Mr. Sivaganesh set up a 40-member team at the gaushala situated inside a 35-acre land. Most of the caretakers are from Madurai. Including the 209 bulls, the gaushala is home for 1,800 bovine.

To make sure that the jallikattu bulls stay fit throughout the year, they are given special food supplements including millets apart from regular feed.

Prize

“Two-wheelers will be given as prize to tamers who manage to hang on our bulls,” adds Mr. Sivaganesh. Plans are also on to conduct a jallikattu event in Coimbatore in February and discussions are already on with officials.