What Is Jallikattu ? Tamilnadu's Most Loved Sport ????
"Manju virattu" redirects here. For the 1994 film, see Manju Virattu (film).
 A youth trying to take control of a bull in jallikattu at Alanganallur. | |
| Highest governing body | Tamil Nadu Jallikattu Federation Local organising committees |
|---|---|
| Nicknames | Sallikkattu; eru thazhuvuthal; manju virattu |
| First played | 400–100 BC[1] |
| Characteristics | |
| Contact | Yes |
| Team members | No teams, single competitors |
| Mixed gender | No |
| Type | Traditional sport |
| Venue | Open ground |
| Presence | |
| Country or region | Tamil Nadu, India |
| Olympic | No |
| Paralympic | No |
Jallikattu (or sallikkattu), also known as eru thazhuvuthal and mañcuvirattu, is a traditional event in which a bull (Bos indicus), such as the Pulikulam or Kangayam breeds is released into a crowd of people, and multiple human participants attempt to grab the large hump on the bull's back with both arms and hang on to it while the bull attempts to escape. Participants hold the hump for as long as possible, attempting to bring the bull to a stop. In some cases, participants must ride long enough to remove flags on the bull's horns.
Jallikattu is typically practised in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu as a part of Pongal celebrations on Mattu Pongal day, which occurs annually in January.
As there were incidents of injury and death associated with the sport, both to the participants and to the animals forced into it, animal rights organizations have called for a ban to the sport, resulting in the court banning it several times over the past years. However, with protest from the people against the ban, a new ordinance was made in 2017 to continue the sport.
Jallikattu has been known to be practiced during the Tamil classical period (400-100 BCE). It was common among the Ayar people who lived in the ‘Mullai’ geographical division of the ancient Tamizh Nadu. Later, it became a platform for display of bravery, and prize money was introduced for participation encouragement. A seal from the Indus Valley Civilization depicting the practice is preserved in the National Museum, New Delhi. A cave painting in white kaolin discovered near Madurai depicting a lone man trying to control a bull is estimated to be about 1,500 years old.
Animal welfare concerns[edit]
Between 2008 and 2014, 43 humans and 4 bulls were killed in the jallikattu events. In 2017, there were 23 deaths in addition to about 2,500 human injuries and several instances of injury to the bulls. 2020 saw 5 deaths from participation in the event.
Animal welfare concerns are related to the handling of the bulls before they are released and also during competitor's attempts to subdue the bull. Practices before the bull is released include prodding the bull with sharp sticks or scythes, extreme bending of the tail which can fracture the vertebrae, and biting of the bull's tail. There are also reports of the bulls being forced to drink alcohol to disorient them, or chilli peppers being rubbed in their eyes to aggravate the bull.
During attempts to subdue the bull, they are stabbed by various implements such as knives or sticks, punched, jumped on and dragged to the ground. In variants in which the bull is not enclosed, they may run into traffic or other dangerous places, sometimes resulting in broken bones or death. Protestors claim that jallikattu is promoted as bull taming, however, others suggest it exploits the bull's natural nervousness as prey animals by deliberately placing them in a terrifying situation in which they are forced to run away from the competitors which they perceive as predators and the practice effectively involves catching a terrified animal. Along with human injuries and fatalities, bulls themselves sometimes sustain injuries or die, which people may interpret as a bad omen for the village.
An investigation by the Animal Welfare Board of India concluded that "jallikattu is inherently cruel to animals".[25][26]
Animal welfare organisations such as the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations (FIAPO) and PETA India have protested against the practice. The Indian Minister of Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi denied the claim by Jallikattu aficionados that the sport is only to demonstrate the "Tamil love for the bull", citing that the Tirukkural does not sanction cruelty to animals.
Jallikattu is also known as "Veeravilayattu"
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