Backbone of the protests

While the protestors who have gathered for the fifth consecutive day demanding the lifting of ban on jallikattu view their struggle as a fight for their right to protect Tamil culture and heritage, the volunteers who have been supplying food, water and even selective nutrients such as a tulasi water (for healing throats) view the protests as yet another emergency situation that demands their help. 

At around noon on Saturday, R Dilip (32) from Maduravoil and three of his friends were busy supplying bananas and oranges to those youngsters gathered near the parking lot at the Marina Beach. Speaking to DTNext, Dilip said that he had been supplying water, fruits, biscuits and other essentials for the past two days. “We support jallikattu and wanted to help the protesters. We pooled in money and spend around Rs 13,000 to Rs. 15,000 per day supplying, whatever we could,” he said. He plans to continue supplying food, water and snacks as long as the protests continue and assured to return again on Sunday. 

A few hundred feet away from him, K Soundararajan (44), a businessman from Chintadripet was giving packets of vegetable biryani to whoever approached him. All the food that he had brought in his bike were prepared by his family and a few of his friends only a few hours earlier. “This morning, we came and supplied pongal and vada that was also cooked in our homes. We have been supplying food for the protestors thrice a day since Wednesday and plan to continue doing so until the protests come to an end,” he said. 

More than being ardent supporters of jallikattu, both Dilip and Soundararajan are activists who step in during any crisis. Dilip said that he and his friends had supplied food packets during the December 2015 floods and more recently after Cyclone Vardah in the affected areas. “We step in whenever we spot people who are in need of food irrespective of whether they are flood victims or are sitting at protests. This is all the more special as the cause is dear to us,” he said. 

And it’s not just these crisis-time activists alone, who are pitching. Even housewives and professionals are doing their bit to ease the pain of the protestors. Malarkodi from Pattinampakkam who is a housewife from a modest household too decided to do her bit for the protesters and was seen supplying tulasi (Ocimum tenuiflorum) juice to the youth, who were screaming their throats out. “It is good for their throat and I don’t have to spend anything but pluck some leaves from my garden and prepare a juice,” she said. 

Those who could afford spending a little extra like Anuradha Ganesh, a housewife from Thirumalaivoil, even brought biscuits and chocolates to distribute to the children and youngsters gathered at the beach to lift their spirits. “We are doing our bit to support jallikattu and will continue coming until the protests end,” she said. While the college students and other youth camping at the Marina are spearheading the fight, the resource supply-chain seems to be intact in the form of Dilip, Malarkodi and hundreds of other Chennaiites who ensure that Chennai bulls are in safe hands.