Deaths, injuries fail to dampen jallikattu fervour

MADURAI/TIRUCHY: The injuries and even deaths did not seem to deter the enthusiasm of the dauntless tamers, who charged at the bulls every time they were released, with renewed vigour.

The 2023 Pongal season’s first jallikattu held at Avaniyapuram on Sunday coinciding with the first day of the harvest festival left about 75 persons injured. Nearly 20 among them were provided advanced trauma life support put up by the administration at the venue, officials said.

As many as 737 bulls were released at the Avaniyapuram jallikattu, which saw the participation of 257 bull tamers who had provided RT-PCR negative reports and also a certificate that they were fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Nearly, 860 bulls were released from the Vadivasal at Palamedu where 335 tamers participated in the event on Monday.

Commercial Taxes Minister P Moorthy flagged off the jallikattu in the presence of Madurai Collector S Aneesh Sekhar.

As the bulls darted into the arena with ferocity, frenzied tamers vied with one another to grapple with the animals. The men refused to give up every time despite being outdone by the bulls.

Tamilarasan of Chinnapatti, who tamed 23 bulls, was adjudged the best tamer and was presented the first prize, a car. Mani of Palamedu, who tamed 19 bulls, won the second prize, a two-wheeler, while Raja of Palamedu, who tamed 15 bulls, won the third prize.

“I was inspired by my father who was a bull tamer and had trained under him from a young age,” Tamilarasan said.

Rengarajapuram Karuppanasamy Temple bull stole the show, as none of the tamers could succeed against it till the end of the day. A bull from Maanooththu owned by Ramesh was adjudged second.

Madurai would witness this traditional sport again at Alanganallur on Tuesday.

TTV Dhinakaran’s bull emerges winner, Sasikala’s tamed

Bulls reared by leaders, including AMMK general secretary TTV Dhinakaran and ousted AIADMK leader VK Sasikala participated in the famed Palamedu jallikattu. Prior to entering through vadivasal, a commentator challenged the tamers to catch these bulls. While Dhinakaran’s bull emerged victorious, a tamer managed to hold on to Sasikala’s bull.