Bull training begins for Jallikatu in Madurai ahead of Pongal

MADURAI: Ahead of the festival of Pongal, bull trainers in Tamil Nadu's Madurai are gearing up for the famous 'Jallikattu'.

More than 20 youths from Podumbu village of Madurai district have started training more than ten bulls for the competition.

Bullsare being given training in walking and swimming. Jallikattu, also known as 'Eru Thazhuvuthal' and 'Mancuvirattu', the intense sport will be held in a couple of weeks.

The process called 'Mann Kuthal' also takes place in which bulls are trained to develop their skills by digging their horns in the wet earth.

Bulls are prepared to attack when someone tries to catch their hump. Kottai Swami, a bull owner, said, "We have trained bulls in Jallikattu since 2017 and we have more than 10 bulls. Together with 20 of my friends we are training ten bulls for the Jallikattu competition. We are feeding the bulls with food like cotton seeds and Tamarind. We are training the bulls for walking, swimming, and Mann Kuthal."

Further, he said that "We hope that the Supreme Court will give a verdict in favour of Jallikattu and CM Stalin and PM Modi should help us to hold Jallikattu competition."

Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu government has announced that the Jallikattu competition, the heroic sport of the Tamils, will be held as planned on the coming Pongal so Youngsters have ventured into training bulls for Jallikattu.

"I have been participating in Jallikattu since 2014. In the morning my friends get together and give walking training to bulls. We also provide training in swimming and Mann Kuthal, " Saravana Kumar, another bull owner said.