As tamers frenziedly vie to grapple with bulls, Palamedu sustains Jallikattu fervour in TN

As the bulls dart into the Jallikattu arena with all the ferocity, frenzied tamers, mostly youth, vie with each other to grapple with the animals, refusing to give up every time they are flung by the bulls.

And as the majestic bulls and determined tamers battle it out to display their prowess, Palamedu here sustains the Pongal Jallikattu fervour in Tamil Nadu on Saturday.

About 179 bulls out of nearly 700 strong ones, were released into the crowd of enthusiastic tamers at the end of second round of competition here. The day-long sport which commenced at 7.30 AM was flagged off by State Ministers: P Moorthy and P T R Palanivel Thiyagarajan. As the bulls were released one after the other in quick succession, the tamers gathered around them and attempted to grab its large hump with both their hands and cling on to it as the bull tried to flee. The spectators cheered lustily every time the bull was embraced.

Those animals which refused to be tamed' are announced as winners. Atleast two bulls had a free run when none succeeded to go near them, at the end of the second round. Anticipation and disappointment alternated the feelings of the spectators when the bulls were tamed or had a free run. The Avaniyapuram Jallikattu here on Friday, kicked off of the first Jallikattu competitions during the Pongal (harvest) festival in the district in style and nearly 641 bulls aggressively stormed into the arena. An 18-year-old spectator was gored to death by a raging bull at the Avaniyapuram Jallikattu.

An elaborate security arrangement was made by the police and for the first time the administration live streamed the Palamedu Jallikattu, the second high-profile competition in the district.