'Jallikattu' celebrations begin in Madurai's Palamedu

MADURAI: The popular bull-taming sport 'Jallikattu' also known as 'Eru Thazhuvuthal' and 'Mancuvirattu' started in full swing on Monday in the Palamedu of Madurai district. The 'Jallikattu' began here today, a day after the event in Avaniyapuram in which around 60 people were hurt, with 20 suffering serious injuries.

A bull tamer was also injured in Palamedu today and is being given medical treatment at a primary health centre, informed officials. Only 300 bull tamers and 150 spectators are allowed in the Palamedu Jallikattu competition.

Jallikattu, practiced in Tamil Nadu as a part of Pongal celebrations on the day of Mattu Pongal, is a sport where a bull is let loose among a crowd, and people participating in the sport are supposed to take control of the bull by holding on to its hump for as long as they can. On Sunday the event took place in Madurai's Avaniyapuram, and on Tuesday it will be held in Alanganallur.

Over 9,690 bulls and 5,399 tamers have registered online for participating in the Jallikattu in Avaniyapuram, Palamedu, and Alanganallur in the district. Earlier on January 7, District Collector Aneesh Shekhar issued standard guidelines for controlling the spread of COVID-19 during the Jallikattu event

As per the guidelines, the bull tamers have to upload their photograph alongwith the corona vaccination certificates on the official website of the district. They also have to submit a no covid certificate, two days before the Jallikattu event. It has been informed that the spectators coming to watch the Jallikattu event must also be fully vaccinated and have no COVID certificate with them.

The 'Mann Kuthal' process 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.