Jallikattu: Rubber Bushes for Bull Horns in Tamil Nadu's Pudukkottai for Injury

In a bid to make Jallikattu competitions injury-free for tamers, rubber bushes were fitted on the bull horns during the bull-taming sport in Tamil Nadu's Pudukkottai district.

The annual Jallikattu tournaments, held throughout Tamil Nadu, especially in the Delta region as part of the four-day Pongal festival celebrations, featured many events. At least 120 bull tamers had been sighted in the field at the Jallikattu's conclusion, which was held in Vadamalapur close to Pudukkottai on January 19, while 585 bulls entered the arena through the Vadivasal (entrance arena of the bull).

Meanwhile, 21 people were injured, including an assistant traffic police inspector and seven spectators. Five seriously injured people were sent to the Pudukkottai Government Medical College Hospital for immediate attention.

After Madurai and Trichy, the Pudukkottai district is said to have the most Vadivasals during Jallikattu. To commemorate this, Thachankurichi village hosted the first Jallikattu of this year on January 8. Following the two predominate Jallikattu competitions in the district, the final Jallikattu event was held in Vadamalapur at Tiruvengaivaasal Panchayat of Pudukkottai as part of the Pongal festival in the village.

Tamil Nadu Minister Meyyanathan, Pudukkottai MLA Muthuraja, and DMK North District Secretary Chellapandiyan flagged off the competition. Pudukkottai Revenue Commissioner Murugesan recited the Jallikattu pledge before the game, and all participants, including the players.

In order to protect the bull tamers, several bulls were released through Vadivasal with rubber bushes in their horns. Additionally, rewards were awarded to the players who best tamed the bulls and to the owners of the bulls that the tamers missed.

A statutory committee of the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) set up to inspect the sport had in 2018 recommended rubber bushes that can be fitted on bull horns to make the sport injury-free in light of the fatality at a Jallikattu event held in Perambalur that year. Meanwhile, bull owners stated that fixing rubber bushes would be against tradition.

The convener of the committee said that fixing the rubber bushes to the horns would save the lives of the bulls, their tamers, spectators and police personnel, according to reports.

A bull owner said the three-inch bushes, which cost Rs 5 each, can be attached to the bulls’ horns before they enter the Vadivasal and removed once the bull has finished its run.

Read all the Latest India News here