Residents of Palamedu observe fast for Jallikattu
Intensifying their protests for the conduct of jallikattu, residents of Palamedu in Madurai district observed a fast in front of the vadivasal in the village. The traders in the village expressing their total support downed their shutters for the day.
By : migrator
Update: 2017-01-02 18:29 GMT
Madurai
Around the Pongal festival, the traditional game of jallikattu was being conducted in the rural areas of the state. Though jallikattu were being held in various parts, the events conducted at Alanganallur, Palamedu and Avaniyapuram were famous all over the world. The annual event holds special significance to the villagers and also to their economy.
The traditional game had been conducted continuously for hundreds of years and there was break for the past two years due a Supreme Court direction. With Pongal round the corner, the demand to allow jal likattu has been growing by the day from all quarters. Enthusiasts, political parties and residents have been holding one form of protest or other seeking permission to conduct the event this year. They have been demanding the state and Centre to take necessary steps to lift the ban on the traditional game.
Karthick Raja, Secretary, Mahalinga Swamy Madathu Committee, said “ jallikattu is a traditional game of Tamil people and it is practiced from age immemorial. But recently the game had been banned and was not conducted for the past two years. As Pongal festival is fast approaching the state and Union governments should take necessary steps and ensure that jallikattu is conducted from this year onwards.”
More than 200 people participated in the fast at Palamedu in front of the vadivasal from where the bulls would be released during jallikattu. Before the commencement of the protest, the residents observed a two-minute silence for the former chief minister J Jayalalithaa who passed away on December 5. The shutdown of the village was total. Not a single shop was found open at Palamedu on Monday.
Meanwhile, a jallikattu enthusiast from Puducherry who commenced her journey on a bike to garner support for the traditional event would reach Alanganallur on January 5. Maheshwari would undertake the 4-day journey which would cover nearly 2,000 km in the state to spread awareness about the traditional sport.
DMDK stir in Alanganallur on January 9
With the DMK to protest for jallikattu on Tuesday at Alanganallur, the DMDK leader Vijayakant too announced a protest for the same on January 9. In a press release, Vijayakant said “ jallikattu has not been conducted for the past two years. The youth who are trained to tame the bulls are eagerly waiting for the conduct of the event. But there are still doubts on the go ahead for the traditional sport. People need to know whether it would be permitted or not.” He added that the Ministers of both the Centre and state has been assuring of the conduct through press releases. “But what they have done to ensure it is not clear,” he said. He announced that DMDK would stage a protest in support of the conduct of jallikattu on January 9 at Alanganallur to press the governments to give permission for the event.
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