Bull owners and tamers, who participated in the jallikattu held at Alanganallur on Saturday, walked away with loads of goodies as huge sponsorship poured for the famed event.
The best bull tamer was awarded a car that was sponsored by AIADMK co-coordinator and Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami. Similarly, the best bull was gifted a car sponsored by AIADMK coordinator and Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneereselvam. Private sponsors also gifted bikes and one sovereign of gold to top performing bulls and tamers.
A private company announced that fodder would be sponsored for one year for the bull which secured the first place. While the bull which secured the second position would be gifted fodder for six months, the bull which secured the third place would be sponsored fodder for three months.
Gold coins weighing one gram each were awarded to the all victorious bulls and tamers, said J. Sundar Rajan, coordinator of the jallikattu organising committee at Alanganallur. He said that gold coins worth ₹8 lakh were awarded during the event. “This was the first time we gave away gold coins to all victors, as earlier only a limited number of victorious bulls and players were awarded the gold coins,” he said.
The gifts also included mobile phones, cots, refrigerators, washing machines, silver chains, silk saris and dhotis, T-shirts, cycles, utensils, travel bags, ‘ kuthu vilakku’, almirahs, pressure cookers, masala powder packets, biscuit packets and other gift hampers.
The members of the organising committee said that every victorious bull and those player who tamed the animals received gifts worth at least ₹15,000. “Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, many sponsors came forward to contribute to the event,” said Mr. Sundar Rajan.
