Not just a sport, but divine protection, say villagers

Since the uncertainty, the fate of more than 300 sturdy bulls reared for the rustic sport is in a question of survival. Rural areas like Periya Suriyur, Uthamaseeli and its adjacent villages, which become busy during Pongal with the annual mega jallikattu event remained silent this year too as they could not organise the ancient brave sport. 

The villagers believe that jallikattu event is ritual that will ward off the evils and protect their village from any harm. Though the organisers are tight lipped as Pongal is fast approaching when jallikattu event use to be held, they grumble that a curse has befallen on them as a few unpleasant incidents, including deaths took place in their respective localities. 

“Jallikattu is more than a sport for us. If we do not organise the annual events, we will become the victims of our village deity Karuppanaswamy’s curse and then we will face severe problems as we did last year,” claims one of the organisers of Suriyur jallikattu. Owning a jallikattu bull is a prestige issue among the villagers who have unconditional affection towards these sturdy animals.  Few even see the bull as a family member rather than an animal. 

“We take good care of them. We know their body language. They are like our family members and we call them by names,” says Murugesan who has two bulls at his house which had participated in almost all the j allikattu events in the places like Alanganallur, Didigul, Palamedu and various parts of Tiruchy and won several prizes.  Chelladurai from Chekkalakudi in Pudukottai, who rears two bulls named as VIP and Anbu, says he never eats without meeting or feeding the bulls. 

“I will become tense, when Anbu (one of the bulls) looks gloomy. He appears sad since the event was stopped in recent years and he has lost his strength. The villagers give utmost respect to these bulls when they die. They honour them as though one of their family member had died. They perform rituals as though one done for the family members.