Thirunallur in Illupur taluk is gearing up to host ‘jallikattu’ at the ‘manju virattu thidal’ on February 11.
The practice is to organise the event in connection with the Muthumariamman temple festival at the village. The event is the biggest one in this district, say officials.
The organising committee has put in place the required arrangements as stipulated by the officials. Double barricades have been put up for a length of about 150 metres to prevent spectators from entering the arena. Provision has been made for medical examination of bulls. A separate area has been earmarked for bulls, to be brought from various districts, to take rest.
Previously, the event was organised here in 2013, said D. Senthil Kumar, an organising committee member. So far, over 800 bulls from 14 districts including Tiruchi, Pudukottai, Dindigul, Sivaganga, Madurai, Thanjavur, Ariyalur, Perambalur and Salem and a little over 560 tamers had registered for the event. Bull tamers would wear uniform T-shirts and coir path would be laid for a certain distance from the ‘Vaadi Vaasal’ as per norms, he said. Poojas would be performed to Sri Muthumariamman before conduct of the event. There would be no prizes for tamers as was the case in jallikattu held in other places.
Collector S. Ganesh and officials from various departments on Tuesday inspected the arrangements being made. Superintendent of Police J. Loganathan said that the venue would be inspected on Thursday to ensure that all norms were being followed. The organisers have been told about the guidelines to be adhered to while conducting the event. They have been told to ensure that horns of bulls were blunted. Breath analysers would be used to check if the tamers had consumed alcohol.
A fleet of 10 ambulances would be stationed to shift the injured to nearby hospitals. A medical team would be deployed to provide first aid to the injured. A posse of police personnel would be posted at the village.