Agitators get a glimpse of traditional arts in Tiruchy

With schools and colleges declaring holiday on Friday in wake of ongoing protests against the ban on jallikattu, the protest venue literally morphed into a big carnival ground with senior citizen, women and children flocking the venue. 

Protest songs rented the air and kept their sprit high. A group of women from Kuzhumani challenged the energy level of men in performing the thappu (a folk instrument). The beat was pepped up with rhyming words criticising government, PETA and praising the protesting students. 

Meanwhile, a group of youngsters accompanied by drum beats went on a procession showing their silambattam skills. They said that they had come from Manapparai to express their solidarity.  

A group of women from Wayalur performed a kummipaattu with the slogans against PETA and praising the students. They said that they would always stand by the side of these students who have understood the value of tradition and the importance of jallikattu. 

The self-motivated protest by students attracted more number of families with their children joined the students in Tiruchy as it went on orderly which made it an enjoyable outing. A four-year-old girl R Alia from the city registered her concern to conduct bull taming event to Central government by holding placard all written in Hindi. 

“I wanted to convey the demands of Tamil people to Centre so that the ban on jallikattu would be lifted,” she said.