Post 2017, TN youth raise jallikattu bulls like family

“Though my family raised bulls in the past, I became interested in native bulls only after the jallikattu protests in 2017 where I also came to know of specific country breeds. I then decided to raise bulls and with the approval of my family, I am now raising four animals,” said Tamil Sangu, a second-year law college student from Madurai.

Like Sangu, there are several others whose interests were piqued after the 2017 protests and the passion continues to burn.

Immediately after the jallikattu event in 2017, the sale of native breed calves increased manifolds as a result of youngsters getting into the business.

Karthikeyan, an engineering student at Sethu Institute of Technology, Virudhunagar, said that during the Jallikattu protests, may videos on the importance of raising native breed were circulated.

“I came to know of health hazards of consuming milk of foreign breed cows and only then did we youngsters take a vow of raising native breed cattle. I bought two bulls and have been looking after them as though they were family,” he added.

Navajeevan (23), running a welding shop in Madurai, said that he participated in the jallikattu protest along with his friends and now the group is raising a bull each. Despite drought they managed to get cattle feed. “Our bulls will see Vadivasal in another two years,” he said.

Interestingly, jallikattu activists reiterated this point. Rajasekar, president, Jallikattu Peravai, said, “The State’s youth have the same enthusiasm as they did in 2017. 

They are determined to save the native breed cattle. It is good to see more and more youngsters coming forward to save jallikattu bulls. This year, the festival will be held with more vigour,” Rajasekar added.

He added that due to more youth buying calves, cost of the native breed animals has increased to a 100 per cent. In 2016, a native breed calf was sold for Rs 7,000 but now a calf is sold for over Rs 15,000. The demand has also gone up.