#WeNeedJallikattu
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The bulls in Alanganallur came out of the vaadi vaasal (entry door) at high speed. Only a quarter of the contestants were able to hang on to the bull and win the contest. Credit: Vinoth Chandar/Flickr CC 2.0
Imagine this scene a few thousand years ago in the Indus Valley region. A group of herders out grazing a few hundred cattle, enjoying the warm sun on their backs with the occasional cry of a calf seeking its mother and the mother guiding it. The whole herd is on the move as the lazy day passes by.
Suddenly a bull decides to run astray. With wild animals lurking, there is the danger of the herd breaking up into smaller groups. A young herder emerges and chases the bull. Bulls being males high on testosterone run quite fast and finally the herder catches up with it. He lunges forward and holds onto the hump of the bull. The hump is a unique feature of Bos Indicus cattle. He manages to hold onto the hump, slowing the bull down and finally stopping it. He leads it back to the herd and the group continues, while showering praises on the young herder for catching the bull.
Now imagine this scene repeated on a daily basis and the herders sharing the story with the villagers when they pen the cattle for the night. Over time, the skill of embracing the hump to slow the bull down is celebrated and contests are held to showcase the skill. This is called Eru Thazhuvuthal meaning ‘Embracing a Bull’. Indus Valley civilisation is known for being one of the most advanced and sophisticated amongst its contemporaries. The sport of Eru Thazhuvathal is celebrated so much that they decide to make a seal depicting the same.
During the rule of the Nayak kings, gold coins, wrapped in a piece of cloth were tied to the horns, and the tackler hung on to the hump of the bull and untied the knot to get at the prize. Jalli/salli means ‘coins’, and kattu is ‘tied’. A small bag of coins was tied to the horns of the bulls, which the players claimed as a prize. The only way you could do that was to embrace the hump of the bull long enough to grab the bag without getting hit.
Now a token cloth is tied in the horns which the tackler collects as a trophy. The focal point of the event is the vaadi vaasal, the entrance. The bulls are let through this entrance, into the track, where the players wait. The track is usually the main street of the village, with the side lanes blocked. The event begins with the visit of village elders, led by a band drummer, to the temple of the village deity. The Koyil Kaalai (temple bull) of the host village is allowed first and as a mark of respect and gratitude to the host village, players allow it a free run and don’t touch it. Today, educated youngsters from these villages are also involved in the rearing of bulls and participate in the sport. All classes of people and all castes take part in Jallikattu. There is an egalitarian perspective where it’s humans and their cattle, nothing more nothing less.
Jallikattu is an ancient sport. The seals of the Indus Valley civilisation depict it, which is proof that this sport was in vogue 5,000 years ago. Ancient Tamil poetry, known as Sangam literature (2nd BCE – 2nd CE), has many detailed references to Eru Thazhuvuthal (hugging the bull).
The fact that English colonial administrators have also written about jallikattu tells us the sport was played continuously down the ages.
For the following account of the jellikattu or bull-baiting, which is practiced by the Maravans, I am indebted to a note by Mr. J. H. Nelson. “This,” he writes, “is a game worthy of a bold and free people, and it is to be regretted that certain Collectors (District Magistrates) should have discouraged it under the idea that it was somewhat dangerous.
The jellikattu is conducted in the following manner. On a certain day in the year, large crowds of people, chiefly males, assemble together in the morning in some extensive open space, the dry bed of a river perhaps, or of a tank (pond), and many of them may be seen leading ploughing bullocks, of which the sleek bodies and rather wicked eyes afford clear evidence of the extra diet they have received for some days in anticipation of the great event.
The owners of these animals soon begin to brag of their strength and speed, and to challenge all and any to catch and hold them; and in a short time one of the best beasts is selected to open the day’s proceedings. A new cloth is made fast round his horns, to be the prize of his captor, and he is then led out into the midst of the arena by his owner, and there left to himself surrounded by a throng of shouting and excited strangers.
Unaccustomed to this sort of treatment, and excited by the gestures of those who have undertaken to catch him, the bullock usually lowers his head at once, and charges wildly into the midst of the crowd, who nimbly run off on either side to make way for him. His speed being much greater than that of the men, he soon overtakes one of his enemies and makes at him to toss him savagely. Upon this the man drops on the sand like a stone, and the bullock, instead of goring him, leaps over his body, and rushes after another. The second man drops in his turn, and is passed like the first; and, after repeating this operation several times, the beast either succeeds in breaking the ring, and galloping off to his village, charging every person he meets on the way, or is at last caught and held by the most vigorous of his pursuers.
Strange as it may seem, the bullocks never by any chance toss or gore any one who throws himself down on their approach; and the only danger arises from their accidentally reaching unseen and unheard some one who remains standing.
After the first two or three animals have been let loose one after the other, two or three, or even half a dozen are let loose at a time, and the scene quickly becomes most exciting. The crowd sways violently to and fro in various directions in frantic efforts to escape being knocked over; the air is filled with shouts, screams, and laughter; and the bullocks thunder over the plain as fiercely as if blood and slaughter were their sole occupation. In this way perhaps two or three hundred animals are run in the course of a day, and, when all go home towards evening, a few cuts and bruises, borne with the utmost cheerfulness, are the only results of an amusement which requires great courage and agility on the part of the competitors for the prizes – that is for the cloths and other things tied to the bullocks’ horns – and not a little on the part of the mere bystanders. The only time I saw this sport (from a place of safety) I was highly delighted with the entertainment, and no accident occurred to mar my pleasure. One man indeed was slightly wounded in the buttock, but he was quite able to walk, and seemed to be as happy as his friends.”
(From Edgar Thurston, Castes & Tribes of Southern India,Vol 5.)
This is concrete evidence to prove that jallikattu has been part of the long heritage of the country. One strong characteristic of life in India is the persistence of certain social institutions, the origins of which are lost in pre-history. Though the profile of these practices change, they retain their essential features. Jallikattu is one such precious heritage that has been preserved over millennia and our duty is to take this forward. Of course we should have rules and restrictions for the conduct of the event but Jallikattu should go on.
There were 130 or so cattle breeds in India 100 years ago and now there are only 37. Unless we engage with the traditional livestock keepers and support them, we will lose these breeds as well as lay the ground for commercial cattle based dairies and slaughter houses to dominate the country
Tamil Nadu had six cattle breeds earlier and now we have lost the Alambadi breed. The remaining breeds are Kangayam, Pulikulam, Umbalachery, Barugur and Malai Maadu. There are a few more minor breeds without proper documentation or care. Most of these are on the verge of extinction. Each breed has evolved in perfect harmony with its local region. Kangayams fed on grasses in the calcium rich soil are the sturdiest animals and can pull up to 2.5 times their body weight with ease. Umbalacherys have shorter legs which make it easy for them to walk around in the water filled fields of the delta region. Barugurs in the hills of Erode district and Malai Maadus in Theni district are grazed in reserve forests and are adept at walking around in hilly terrain. The Pulikulam, found mostly in the region around Madurai, Sivaganga, Ramnad, Pudukottai and parts of Tiruchi district are herded in several hundreds and walk all day grazing before being penned for the night.
Native cattle have evolved over millennia, adapting to the local environmental conditions. They are an integral part of farming, especially for small and marginal farmers as they serve multiple purposes like ploughing, transportation, source for farmyard manure, organic treatments like panchagavya, jeevamritham, and as a source of A2 milk. The native cattle are both an input as well as insurance to the livestock keepers. In ancient Tamil and Sanskrit literature, cattle is considered as wealth. Cattle were measured as a unit of wealth. In the Tirukkural, education is considered to be wealth and the word used for wealth is madu, meaning cattle. So it has a socio-cultural connotation which denotes lives and livestock having co-existed and cultures having coined usages around them.
Pulikulam. Credit: ICAR
The Pulikulam is a semi-domesticated breed. The bulls are known to attack anyone except their owners. They are mainly grazed in reserve forest lands. Herders need to be able to tame them without ropes as the nose ropes are removed while grazing.
How does one tame a bull without ropes? If you try to tackle it from the front, it will toss you with its horns; if you try to catch it from the back, it will kick with its legs. It’s also very agile and can turn around in a split second. The only option is to approach it from the side and grab the hump.
Stud bulls are reared by people for jallikattu. The ones that win are much in demand for servicing the cows. Small farmers cannot afford to keep stud bulls, so each village has a common temple bull which services the cows of the village. Jallikattu is the show where bulls are brought and exhibited. The ones which are most agile (and virile) are preferred by farmers. The calves from such bulls are in demand.
The intricate connect between these events and farming can be seen from the chronological order in which showcase events like jallikattu happen first, then the shandies and then the main farming season starts. Once harvest is done, farmers take their bulls to participate in such events over the next few months; spectators and visitors make a note of the top bulls and seek them out in sandhais (cattle shandies/markets) which happen from December till April all over Tamil Nadu. The calves and bulls are bought for jallikattu and some of their offspring will be castrated and used as draught animals in transport/farming.
Stud bulls need to be alert, virile, and agile. In the peak of their reproductive period, they need to secrete the necessary male hormones and experience adrenalin rushes and pumping hearts. They need this for them to be virile. This is in the interest of the species as selective breeding is done to propagate the species. Stud bulls are used for jallikattu and mating only. Experienced bulls enjoy the situation and display a well thought out exit from the vaadi vaasal. Many of them show off by shaking their heads as a warning. This shows their familiarity with the Jallikattu event.
Many people who care for animals don’t understand that nature creates each species with unique characteristics and behaviour, and that within a species, a bull, an ox, a cow and calf all are different.
Male calves in other regions are sold and taken for slaughter in a few days. Only in regions where there are events like jallikattu are they kept. The owner of an imported cow will like it to deliver a female calf. If she does, it’s a windfall. If it’s a male calf then he will have no use for it and he has to feed it. It will go to the slaughter house for Rs. 500. A lot of mutton we eat is the meat of these under-one-week calves mixed with mutton. The same will happen to these native breeds if not for activities like jallikattu. With reduced availability of males, farmers will have to go in for artificial insemination, which is cost prohibitive and is directly in contravention of in-situ conservation. Unless there are bulls being bred and reared in the in-situ region, the genetic pool of the breed will not be healthy as no adaptation to changes in climate, local environment has been ingrained. We are messing with evolution when we abandon in-situ conservation with bulls and natural servicing/mating.
Native cows do not yield as much milk as the imported breeds. So they don’t have a supportive or sponsored breeding programme. Artificial means are not adopted for native breeds. So as a fall out of the banning of jallikattu, they will soon fade away and become extinct.
Death of a temple bull covers the village in a pall of gloom. The funeral is conducted with utmost respect with women mourning and village priests carrying out rituals.
Under article 48 of the constitution of India the state has to endeavour to preserve and improve the breeds and prevent slaughter of cows and calves and other draught and milk cattle. Hence the Union government has to intervene in this issue.
According to principles 1, 2 & 3 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), to which India is a signatory state, livestock keepers are creators of breeds and custodians of animal genetic resources for food and agriculture; livestock keepers and the sustainable use of traditional breeds are dependent on the conservation of their respective ecosystems; traditional breeds represent collective property, they are the products of indigenous knowledge and the cultural expression of livestock keepers.
There are two angles to the opposition.
First is the urban disconnect with rural India and all that it entails. Policies are made by city folk. Just as we destroyed the lakes of Chennai and suffered the consequences of ignoring the traditional knowledge of villagers in building and maintaining water bodies, we are allowing the same urban mindset to get away with rampant destruction of our livestock and farming. If we look at media reports over the last decade or so, every headline screams about injuries in a jallikattu event. The focus of the urban editors and reporters has always been on sensationalising news and grabbing eyeballs. Fed with this constant diet over a decade, it’s no surprise that so many internet warriors are shouting about jallikattu.
In a year, there are 10,000 instances of a bull leaving the vaadi vaasal (gate) during jallikattu. Of the thousands of players who take part, hardly 50-100 get injured in a year, and deaths are much much less.
The second group is the dairy lobby, which wants all native breeds to be eradicated. Events like jallikattu throw a spanner in their plans of creating commercial dairy farms with imported breeds just like in the West.
Beef exporters also benefit from a ban on jallikattu and other events. Farmers bring their cattle to be sold in weekly/monthly and annual shandies. Brokers will take the cattle from the farmers and hold them to be displayed to prospective buyers. Buyers fall into 3-4 categories: (1) The jallikattu enthusiast who will buy the bulls and male calves mostly; (2) Buyers of oxen for farming/transport; (3) Buyers of cows for breeding and household usage; (4) Beef traders who are mostly if not all agents of export companies and slaughter houses based in Kerala. They buy all cattle as they are only interested in meat.
When a ban on jallikattu is in place, the simple supply-demand equation gets skewed. There are no takers in the first category, which means the bulls will only sought by the fourth category i.e. beef traders. With no demand from jallikattu enthusiasts, the price of such prized bulls falls to rock bottom. By killing the market for bulls to be used in jallikattu, the animal rights activists are directly responsible for sending them to slaughter. There is a huge demand for Bos Indicus variety beef in the Gulf, Malaysia and Western countries. It is considered an exotic and healthy meat, just like country chicken.
The fist misconception is that jallikattu has anything in common with the Spanish bullfight. The two are very different. The sport in India is not about baiting or injuring the bull but of “embracing the bull”.
Does it harm the bull?
It is said that cruelty is meted out to animals by giving them alcohol, prodding and twisting their tails etc, that organisers beat the bulls, stuffing something pungent in their nostrils, confine them in a dark, suffocating place in order to enrage them.
The reality is different. Amidst all the regulations and scrutiny, which bull owner will risk giving alcohol to the bulls? Glucose water is given to them for stamina. Out of the 10,000 instances of bulls let out a year, the anti-jallikattu activists have produced images/videos of may be 7-8 bulls where an offence might have taken place. They have the power to identify the owner and take action against him under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. Each bull is registered with the authorities, with photographs as well as the owner’s information.
Every rule has an exception. We regulate to curtail the exceptions, but not to end the sport. The approach of the activists from day one has been to end jallikattu at any cost.
Are there other means of conserving the breeds?
Each breed has evolved over several millennia and in a distinct way. One method of breed conservation will not work in another area, with another breed. Every place in the world where indigenous people have lived with their livestock, there are celebratory showcase events post-harvest like kambala buffalo water racing in the Dakshin Kannada region, Ongole stone pulling in central and coastal Andhra, rekla races in western Tamil Nadu and Theni, bailgada in Maharashtra with the Killari breed. Each event has evolved locally and has stood the test of time. In-situ conservation is the best method for conserving any breed. The lifetime and health of the species is extended only due to such events.
How is the game played?
Bulls are brought to the arena the previous day and tied in coconut groves around the village. Fodder is brought along and water is provided by the host villagers. Sometimes fodder is also provided. A team of veterinarians, animal welfare officials inspect the bulls and give a medical certificate. Before the event starts, they are lined up in batches of 15 close to the rear side of the vaadi vaasal.
A bull waits its turn at the gate to the Palamedu jallikattu in Madurai. Credit: Manu Manohar/Flickr CC 2.0
After the temple bull of the host village has left the arena, each bull is taken into the vaadi vaasal, where Animal Welfare officers are present. The nose rope of the bull is cut and the bull is free to run. Young bulls and untrained ones participating for the first few times hesitate to leave the vaadi and are prodded by their owners. It is not easy to move them as they weigh anywhere between 250-350 kilos. The experienced bulls (which have long memories) are familiar with jallikattu events and offer their head to the owners to cut the rope. They plan their exit from the vaadi vaasal and time their jump to avoid the players. These are intelligent animals and have evolved in this environment over millennia.
This bull cannot be caught as he has perfectly timed his jump to reach a height of 8-10 feet and will land a good 10-12 feet away from the vaadi vaasal. By the time he lands, he would have cleared most of the players. Credit: Special Arrangement
The sport consists of holding on to the hump of the bull and running along with it for a given distance usually about 20-30 meters which is covered in barely 10-20 seconds.
This bull used a different technique of charging while jumping. Notice how that has put fear into the players. with their eyes closed. Credit: Special Arrangement
Although a few hundred players are present in the arena, only 2-3 attempt to get close to the bull and only 1 has a shot at grabbing the hump. Everything happens so fast that most players hit the dirt and the bulls go free.
The bulls are not in fear, but the players are. Credit: Special Arrangement
After leaving the arena, they go to a barricaded collection area of about 44,000 sq. ft. where experienced herders await the owners. Owners follow the bulls from the vaadi into the collection arena, this takes about 5-10 minutes. Once they enter, the herders help the owners rope in the bulls and take them out of the collection arena. 1-2 bulls will refuse to be roped and charge at everyone, some of them jump out of the collection area and make a run for it. Most of them head in the direction of their villages. There is the occasional injury due to the bulls not being roped.
Under the Convention on Biological Diversity and heritage status practices worldwide, it is customary that these ancient traditional practices are left as they are but with rules to organise and regulate them.
If jallikattu is banned, livestock keepers will be forced to abandon the raising of native livestock, which already stands threatened due to the extensive use of motor pumps, tractors and mechanised agriculture. If the sport is banned, it would be the death knell of native cattle species in Tamil Nadu.
We will not only lose our breeds but also our self-sufficiency in milk production as well as promotion of organic farming. If we lose our breeds and import foreign breeds, multinational commercial companies will dominate the dairy industry in India. The livelihood of millions in rural India is at stake here.
People who want a ban on jallikattu are far removed from village life and do not know how this chain works.
The Supreme Court and the Government of India needs to look at the big picture behind jallikattu. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) supports traditional practices to keep the chain intact and thus enable conservation of native breeds. As an ancient nation with an ancient practice going back millennia, jallikattu should be preserved. There is no torture of any animal of any sort that takes place during the sport and the evidence of this can be seen from live media telecasts. The time a bull spends engaged in the sport is less than 30 seconds. If required, rules can be implemented to enhance the safety of the animals and men if required.
India has already lost many cattle breeds and it can’t afford to lose any more.
Himakiran Anugula is an organic farmer and entrepreneur based in Chennai. He is a trustee of SKCRF (www.kangayambu...om), an organisation working to conserve native breed cattle in Tamil Nadu.
why not a same rule for all type of cruelty to animals?
if we use animals for fun or in sports , it treated as cruelty , ok , animals lovers need ban ,OK .
so when we eat those same animals , that is not the issue ??
leave eating , if you see condition how those animals are kept before slaughtering them , that also not the issue ??
and the way those are slaughtered ..
if you are truly animal lover then in both conditions you should feel same feelings . why this hypocrite way to handle issues .
in this hypocrite way one can even say that farmers should not use bullocks in any agricultural activities .
hope one should really care for animals and use them efficiently so that neither they got hurt nor they die bcoz of lackage of food.
@niralaghatotkach wrote:
u r a good fighter [like dimepincher and infrared1100]
And you are? An eater, Mr. Ghatotkach?
dimepincher is okay but please don’t compare me with any infra-rational idiots.
@Magus wrote:
@DealSeeker wrote:
@raven_kira You have got some writing skills, bro! …
You never said that about me. I’m feeling let down.
CC @raven_kira
You are the father of all critical thinking and writing on Desidime /\ ….we are but mere humble followers standing on the shoulders of giants such as you. 
@raven_kira wrote:
You are the father of all critical thinking and writing on Desidime /\ ….we are but mere humble followers standing on the shoulders of giants such as you.
You also made me cry.
@goyal.dkg wrote:
why not a same rule for all type of cruelty to animals?
if we use animals for fun or in sports , it treated as cruelty , ok , animals lovers need ban ,OK .
so when we eat those same animals , that is not the issue ??
leave eating , if you see condition how those animals are kept before slaughtering them , that also not the issue ??
and the way those are slaughtered ..if you are truly animal lover then in both conditions you should feel same feelings . why this hypocrite way to handle issues .
in this hypocrite way one can even say that farmers should not use bullocks in any agricultural activities .
hope one should really care for animals and use them efficiently so that neither they got hurt nor they die bcoz of lackage of food.
so when we eat those same animals , that is not the issue ?? It is an issue, a far bigger one and something so deeply entrenched into the human mindset…that it needs a mass upheaval in human thinking to reflect any meaningful change. It took more than 100 years to realise that black people have equal rights…It took more than 1000 years to realise that women do too….and it’ll take a lot more to realise animals undergo pain and suffering as much as humans do and thanks to agriculture, we can survive without relying on animal products. Its not a matter of survival anymore and we should let the animals live independently without human interference.
Not just slaughterhouses…even the dairy farms where cows are forcefully impregnated to maximise milk production, their calves separated from its mother…treating animal meat as a delicacy…its all human perversity. Gone are the days when we used to healthily co-exist with animals…now we rule over them.
@raven_kira wrote:
@goyal.dkg wrote:
why not a same rule for all type of cruelty to animals?
if we use animals for fun or in sports , it treated as cruelty , ok , animals lovers need ban ,OK .
so when we eat those same animals , that is not the issue ??
leave eating , if you see condition how those animals are kept before slaughtering them , that also not the issue ??
and the way those are slaughtered ..if you are truly animal lover then in both conditions you should feel same feelings . why this hypocrite way to handle issues .
in this hypocrite way one can even say that farmers should not use bullocks in any agricultural activities .
hope one should really care for animals and use them efficiently so that neither they got hurt nor they die bcoz of lackage of food.
so when we eat those same animals , that is not the issue ?? It is an issue, a far bigger one and something so deeply entrenched into the human mindset…that it needs a mass upheaval in human thinking to reflect any meaningful change. It took more than 100 years to realise that black people have equal rights…It took more than 1000 years to realise that women do too….and it’ll take a lot more to realise animals undergo pain and suffering as much as humans do and thanks to agriculture, we can survive without relying on animal products. Its not a matter of survival anymore and we should let the animals live independently without human interference.
Not just slaughterhouses…even the dairy farms where cows are forcefully impregnated to maximise milk production, their calves separated from its mother…treating animal meat as a delicacy…its all human perversity. Gone are the days when we used to co-exist with animals…now we rule over them.
nice thoughts .
yes you right , even in dairy farms or poultry farms , those businessman (only thinks of profits always) do inject them , feed low quality food , are exploiting them for extra production . this thinking of making profit at each stage is very harmful thing . bcoz of this breeding quality getting low , natural capacity of those animals is much down . and final product also taste like shit . compare any brand milk with milk from haryana-punjab villages .
Several youths protest across Tamil Nadu In Support Of Jallikattu… What’s your views guys?
http://enlightenmentismybirthright.blogspot.in/...
@DealSeeker Your views as a nutritionist? 
CC @Achilles @raven_kira @Stupendous Man @ranjithsai01 @The Sniper @MovieSeeker @packrat
Good article . I don’t have feel i support or oppose Jallikattu but if they are Banning PETA it’s good. PETA is one of the useless organisations in the country contributed nothing much to strengthen against animal cruelty .. Example guy who dropped a dog from the building recently, got out asap paying just 50₹ just 50₹ they have done literally nothing ,just a name that’s all . They don’t even encourage of someone to take care of endangered animals
PS I might be wrong but this is my view .
Just google ‘Crimes of PETA’ you will be surprised
Finally i am here and wanted to post about jallikattu but not sure how many going to support it..after witnessing the current tamilnadu happy to see youngsters coming forward..
read the below for more
http://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/jalli...
Guys please lend your support for #jallikattu..its not only for tamilans but also for all indians
PETA is for emotional fools , good to see now people are getting it .
in many incidents i can never forget even if i want , in chennai a medical student dropped a dog like a item , from top of building and happily shared the recorded video , then few days later we saw a new video same time last year when few kids were burning puppies alive , oh god how they can do that ! really for a minute any humble person can forget his humbleness and law and kill those bastards kids who were doing this . and peta did nothing there , for a sports they can lead their fight to supreme court against a whole state / large no of people , but in those 2 incidents what were punishments we all know . PETA is just for donation and hawala money . thanks to social media which is making people aware . and PETA is for animals then make their country fully vegan , cruelty is different and minor injury in fight is different things .
in india already you can see in name of ghee and milk we are getting low quality items , bcoz breeding is main issue , and above that injecting hormones for more milk and mating indian breed with western breed jursey animal (not actually cow) . in south quality is better than north india , compare brands nandini vs any brand . we have 2 option either taste & quality OR quantity with compromised quality . for experiment – go to any punjab haryana side village where people have cows and then ask them a glass of lassi or milk and taste that , now come to delhi and pay more amount and get any brand (amul/mother dairy etc) pouch of milk and boil and taste that , there is not even iota of comparison in both samples . these brands too get milk from nearby dairy owners but all they are now having thinking of profit just profit .
and in Jallikattu i saw many videos and found that all participants are asked to just hold the bull for few moments and totally warned not to touch any other part of bull like legs tails etc , however still if all tamil people are in support and in rare case a bull get hurt (not sever injury/death), then there is no reason to ban it . yes they should ensure that no sever injury happens in it . that’s all .
Spain court reject to Ban culture program bull fight
My experience in marina protest:
Initially we had a doubt on reaching marina thought there will be some blocks in reaching marina. Actually there is no such blocks and there is parking facilities for cars and bike as usual.
We are getting food water biscuits banana medicines bedsheets with the help of volunteers #hatsoff
Ladies and kids even a 6months baby joined in the protest with his dad. Almost a 1M people gathered so far.
There is no harm from the police end. Actually they are supporting in a greater way.
Ultimately our youths are handling the situation in a matured way which helping us to protest in a iconic way.
Please join in marina protest and do support #Savejallikattu #justiceforjallikatu
@DealSeeker in thread of peacefulls. 
Busy right now, will see you guys on Bakra-id party. Please @Magus no such thread on that day. its a request.
@raven_kira You just nitpick on some misinformed details in the article and say the entire article is not worthy of our attention? 
Nobody denies the fact there used to be some rare events of torture because of some selfish idiots. But that is not the norm. Some people get into gambling in every form of sport/game. Should we ban gaming altogether? Regulations should be made stricter and seen that they are adhered to. Punish those who do not obey. But abolishing the entire tradition? That just reiterates the elitist claim that all traditional activities involving animal participation is barbaric. The elites are even more misinformed and biased than these so-called barbarians. These practices are part of a economic-socio-cultural ecosystem of the people who have been living there from the beginning of times.
You say the animal does not have a say in this matter. You think the wild animals ever asked to be domesticated? Domestication arose out of a particular need. In this relationship, both parties should get their fair share. That’s the point. Can you cite a single event where a bull got killed/maimed in this practice? I’ve seen people rearing cattle in villages. They treat them even better than they treat their own children. Just as a city-bred youngster will have no idea about the deep relationship a tribal man has with his forest, an urban elite will have no idea about the relationship a villager has with his bull.
CC @DealSeeker @Stupendous Man @ranjithsai01 @The Sniper @MovieSeeker @packrat @esakki raja @goyal.dkg
I haven’t got to read the entire thread yet. So excuse me if my points are repetitive.
- The proper Tamil term for “Jallikattu” is “Eru Thaluval”, which means, “to embrace the bull”. The term itself explains what this game is all about. The participants simply hang on to the hump of the bull with bare hands for a demarcated distance to be declared as winners. The bulls are never involved in a fight, or are tamed. Hence, the terms ‘bull-fighting’ and ‘bull-taming’ are misleading. The bull is let out through a narrow door onto an open arena and runs through a crowd of young men trying to cling on to its hump. If the bull escapes without getting ‘tamed’, the bull owner gets the prize. If one of the men manage to ‘tame’ it, he is declared the winner. The whole sequence of events take just a few minutes.
- The sport is of great pride for both the bull owners and the ‘tamers’. In the past, men have won brides by winning this sport.
- The bulls are treated and trained very specifically for these few minutes that happens once a year. They are not used for any other domestic purpose such as cart-pulling or for farming.
- I am not putting a lot of stress on the ‘traditional’ aspect of the sport because I believe that ‘tradition’ is not the issue here. For me, its a sport, and the only way to protect the native breed from extinction. You might wonder why. The farming sector is fading away. Cultivable lands are dwindling, and farmers are plunging into debts due to many reasons. The bulls have been replaced by tractors, and there’s no reason for anyone to raise bulls anymore. And without bulls, cows can’t be bred naturally.
- Here comes the problem. MNCs are interested in this very problem. Without native breeds, we will be sold foreign breeds-Jerseys et al. Since they are naturally not suited for our environment, new diseases will come. They will be ‘genetically engineered’, and ‘hormonally/antibiotically’ treated, which will open a whole new baggage of health issues, and as we consume their meat and milk, bio-accumulation and bio-magnification will make us sick. MNCs will again be interested here. With more diseases, they will sell more drugs and make profit.
- So, the only way to save ourselves from these is to protect our native breeds, and ‘traditions’ such as ‘Jallikattu’ are the only form of motivation for people to rear these animals.
- Moving on to cruelty, I won’t deny that there may have been some instances in the past where the bulls were fed with alcohol, or their tails were bitten/twisted in order to make them more ferocious and make it difficult for contestants to ‘tame’ them. But over the years, such practises are strictly forbidden, and the organizers are very punitive if they find any such malpractise. Even the contestants have to go through a lot of procedures to register themselves for the sport.
- Cruelty is a variable. In India, beating children is not considered cruelty. But in many western countries, even throwing your child up in a playful manner could land you in jail. In ‘Jallikattu’, there’s absolutely no cruelty to the animal. The only lives at risk are the contestants, who are never forced to take part in the sport. They are aware of the danger and they accept the risks. One more example I would like to give is racing. According to Indian Law, speeding your car or bike is an offense. But on a racing track, the vehicles are pushed to their limits, and the drivers are exposed to a greater risk. Yet, the Law does not punish the racers, because there are regulations in place, and every participant has to strictly follow every single safety regulation. We should see ‘Jallikattu’ in the same manner, and not just vaguely dismiss it as a barbaric act.
- Barbaric act-now that’s getting more interesting. What’s a barbaric act? I’ll mention some of the acts that I believe as barbaric, and leave the conclusion to your judgement.
- In Spanish bull-fighting, the bulls are repeatedly pierced/stabbed with lances and swords, until it is totally weared down, and in most cases, it is killed in the end by piercing through its heart or head. (Read: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullfi...ng)
- In India, bears in the wild are captured, their noses pierced with large rings, and are walked on streets and made to beg. Wild elephants are captured, tamed, and made to beg on streets. Both these are banned in India. PETA is not keen on stopping these barbaric acts.
- Many wild animals are tamed and made to perform in Circuses and we enjoy the show. Have you ever wondered how that huge elephant is riding that bicycle, or how that ferocious lion sits there like a meek kitten, obeying its handler’s commands? They must be obviously excited to see you and your kids enjoying the show, right? These animals are often subjected to the worst treatment to make them do these things. They are beaten, whipped and made to starve if they don’t obey orders. PETA doesn’t think so.
- How about bullock carts being loaded tonnes of things and the poor oxen made to pull them on a scorching afternoon with froth coming out of their mouths?
- Alright, but why would PETA want to do anything with us? Well, they are a foreign NGO, and they can have vested interests. Any MNC could have used their influence on PETA to do things that they want them to do.
- PETA is a foreign NGO and actively doing animal welfare all around the world. They have approached the courts and obtained stay. What can the government do? Greenpeace is a foreign NGO, and the members risk their lives trying to stop whale-hunting mafia by boarding their ships UNARMED. They bravely face the ire of giant MNCs like Shell who destroy natural resources. Yet, our government banned them because they were constantly hindering govt’s mining activities inside forests. Now, I tried to recollect if PETA has fought for the welfare of any animal suffering in the leather industry, or the elephants in timber camps and temples, or the animals in Circuses. Do let me know if you know of any.
- Lighting firecrackers cause a huge amount of stress to our adorable pets like cats and dogs. Who cares? In fact, caging birds, tanking fishes in small confines, and chaining animals are also cruel. I have seen vegetarians feeding only vegetarian food to dogs. Isn’t that cruelty? These animals have certain needs, and natural instincts. We should respect that, or at the least, we should just not raise them cruelly. No bird, animal or fish would love to spend its entire life behind a cage, and you cannot expect it to be thankful to you because you’re feeding it everyday. It is under your mercy and depends on you for survival because YOU put it in that place first, and IT did not CHOOSE to live under your protection. That’s cruelty, whether you agree or disagree!
- Finally, do you know why Zoos exist? If you ask those concerned, they would say it is a form of conservation. They capture these wild animals, put them in cages, feed them according to their own ways and timings, suppress their natural instincts, and finally put them in display and collect money from you and me. If that is not business, and if that is conservation and a means to protect those animals, then Jallikkettu is a 1,000 times more a conservational thing and it is essential for our healthy future generation. And these bulls are treated a million times better and humane than that wild animal in the Zoo.
- There’s a general feeling among Tamil people that they are being targeted and discriminated, and I won’t say that the feeling is entirely unfounded. That does not mean the Tamil people, or myself are anti-national. But as we see everything happening around us, everything seems to go against us. The Supreme Court has ruled in favour of TN on issues concerning Mullaiperiyar and Cauvery. Yet, the concerned States have defied SC orders, and nobody(court or the govt) intervened. The Central Govt. visited the State to ascertain the damages of the recent Cyclone and the drought. They have concluded that the damages are not severe enough to declare it a calamity, or that the drought is a crisis. Cock fights and several other traditions were banned in some of the other States of the country. These States defied orders and performed their traditions. But here, we are protesting peacefully, because we respect the Laws of this land, and we feel Indians first.
- Every uprising in history were not carried by those who defied law or those who were free and in authority. People who quietly endured oppression and discrimination, people who followed orders despite their unliking, people who were enslaved and people who were under authority. We have been enduring oppression and discrimination for a while now. Not for long will we endure it. Some day in the near or long future, there will be an uprising! The sparks have started flying, the fire getting kindled. Its only a matter of time that the fire will rage!
If you have come this far, I hope you will understand what is going on and you will respect our emotions on feeling oppressed(even if you might not agree that its justificafiable). But we Tamils have proved that we are not Barbarians by the way we are fighting! We wouldn’t want to fight in the first place, but if pushed to our limits, we will roar back. We Tamils have conquered the Himalayas and beyond! We are warriors too! We will not surrender meekly!
@Magus pulled me into this issue. Any backfiring should be targeted at him, not me. 
Superb summary!
I completely agree with the highlighted part. It is true that we should all move towards a global polity. But we don’t have any other go but to protect ourselves by all means possible when particular group(s) of people dominate us, plunder our resources and deny us our basic right to healthy and peaceful living. We say, let’s all live together peacefully because nature has in abundance for us all. But others say, only we will enjoy a good life while you people will remain our slaves. Is it wrong then if we revolt for our freedom?
You just nitpick on some misinformed details in the article and say the entire article is not worthy of our attention?
That author was hellbent on proving his viewpoint at the expense of twisting facts and lacking any citations or data/research. As I said….I might’ve liked the article much better if he restricted his arguments to showcasing the importance of indigenous breeds and not convoluting facts to formulate a conspiracy theory
Nobody denies the fact there used to be some rare events of torture because of some selfish idiots. But that is not the norm.Regulations should be made stricter and seen that they are adhered to. Punish those who do not obey
That doesn’t seem to be the case. In 2008 when TN managed to lift the ban winning the case in Supreme court after making promises that regulations would be followed strictly
“If all the safeguards recorded in the order are strictly implemented, there will be no charm left in ‘jallikattu’ as the bulls would only walk through the running arena,” the Bench said
The Supreme Court also ruled that cruelty is inherent in these events, as bulls are not anatomically suited for such activities and making them participate is subjecting them to unnecessary pain and suffering, so such events were outlawed
Some people get into gambling in every form of sport/game. Should we ban gaming altogether?
How does wilful gambling compare to hurting a living being for entertainment?
That just reiterates the elitist claim that all traditional activities involving animal participation is barbaric. The elites are even more misinformed and biased than these so-called barbarians. These practices are part of a economic-socio-cultural ecosystem of the people who have been living there from the beginning of times.
Replace animal participation above with child marriage and u’ll understand how wrong those lines are….and btw noone cares calling out traditional activities involving animal participation….its animal cruelty that people are concerned about.
Can you cite a single event where a bull got killed/maimed in this practice?
14 January 2013, in Avaniapuram, Madurai, a bull died from a head-on collision with a moving passenger bus because of the absence of a contained collection area for the bulls, which is a violation of the Madurai bench of the Chennai High Court guidelines that are intended to regulate jallikattu.
Jallikattu bulls run into villages, fields or adjoining forests. Dozens of bulls that ran away to the forests adjoining villages in Sivaganga have now become wild and can’t be caught. Some bulls have strayed and fallen into wells and drowned.It takes at least 10 people to search them and for many days. At the end there is no guarantee that they will be found, say the joint secretary of Jallikattu Pathukappu Kuzhu; and the state secretary of Veera Vilayattu Pathukappu Peravai
I’ve seen people rearing cattle in villages. They treat them even better than they treat their own children
Again, noone is against rearing cattle or indigenous breeds. Noone is against traditions or ancient customs. Its animal cruelty that the SC is against. Stop cloaking the subject in layers of tradition, religion, promoting indigenous breeds….when the subject is simple….Animal cruelty for entertainment. Opposing jallikattu doesn’t mean you are against traditions and indigenous breeds just like opposing demonetisation doesn’t mean you are against eradication of corruption/black money.
Just as a city-bred youngster will have no idea about the deep relationship a tribal man has with his forest, an urban elite will have no idea about the relationship a villager has with his bull.
Another layer of “urban vs rural” agenda. This is just blatantly profiling a section of people as being detrimental to one’s cause….as often seen in communalism, racism, casteism etc., When we are on the subject please do tell me how the rural people abolished sati, child marriage without any intervention from the urban educated class
- That’s because the conspiracy theories here are not completely unfounded. You only have to go through the dark side of white and green revolutions to understand it better.
- How do they know the bulls will only walk in the arena in such circumstances? None of these judges had ever personally visited these places to make such bold statements. Becoming an SC judge does not make one omniscient.
Any animal will react ferociously in such a euphoric environment as a village festival. The sounds of drums and crackers frighten the animal and so it wants to escape the area. Moreover the owners will stand at the finish line waving a cloth to entice the bull run towards them. Anatomically not fit for such events! OMG! They should just once stand in the arena. They will know who is fit and who is not.
- I meant gambling in the sense of not following rules and regulations. All that cruelty is a violation of rules. If the rules are adhered to, then there is no cruelty. That’s why the earlier panel allowed it with the rules imposed. Would they have allowed it if it were cruel despite following the rules?
- Do you know something? Some psychologists in America have proposed a remedy to the problem of growing disinterest among youth in the institution of family and marriage — child marriage.
We usually tend to think that our ancestors were all damn fools who allowed such practices as child marriage, Sati etc. But we have to study things in their context. Things/customs do get contaminated over a period of time. Then it’s time to clean them or eliminate them. In this case, it’s very easy to clean it since its not irreversibly contaminated yet. If it were otherwise, I would be the first person to oppose it.
That’s a wrong example since it did not happen because of the event as such but because of not taking proper safety measures. Did any participant kill the bull in the arena?
They have to fence the arena properly next time, not ban the sport altogether.
- In the same manner, supporting Jallikattu does not mean supporting cruelty. The supporters have already detailed their side of the argument on why it must be carried on. Do you mean to say that the supporters are all sadists who wish to torture an animal just for the fun of it? Far from it! They are its real protectors!
- For your info, not all urban bred citizens oppose it. In fact, there are many well educated youth who have taken to the conservation of indigenous breeds and so support it. But the PETA activists are mostly urban elitists who have no idea about what goes on in the villages throughout the year. I’m just stating a fact. Don’t mean to jeopardize anything.
- Lastly, supporting Jallikattu does not mean supporting social evils such as Sati. At the same time, we should not label every activity in the village as barbaric.
When we see only a few examples where bulls get hurt that too being not part of this game , then should be support ban ?
There are 1000 laws and every law get misused , like dowry law domestic violence act etc . then should we abolish them ?
In jallikattu simple rule is not to hurt any bull and if someone misuse that then we should ask for strict law rather than ban . bcoz if you make those incidence as basis of your thinking and judgment then simply any one can get banned all the festivals and traditions by giving few examples .
This image shows why protest in Tamil Nadu ……
https://imgur.com/k...lA
How do they know the bulls will only walk in the arena in such circumstances? None of these judges had ever personally visited these places to make such bold statements. Becoming an SC judge does not make one omniscient.
That’s what I keep telling my friends too. Kohli being selected as a captain of the national cricket team doesn’t make him a better batsman than me. I’ve never held a cricket bat in my life btw
Do you know something? Some psychologists in America have proposed a remedy to the problem of growing disinterest among youth in the institution of family and marriage — child marriage
The shady side of Magus 
Btw why is growing disinterest in institution of family and marriage a problem?? And even if you can come up with a link for this story, I bet they would’ve advised marriage at a younger age in their adult lives….not when they are children ffs.
In the same manner, supporting Jallikattu does not mean supporting cruelty. The supporters have already detailed their side of the argument on why it must be carried on. Do you mean to say that they are all sadists who wish to torture an animal just for the fun of it? Far from it! They are its real protectors!
It does mean supporting cruelty….Thats the whole point in my argument. Yes, yes, they are sadists…who are torturing the animal for entertainment.
For your info, not all urban bred citizens oppose it. In fact, there are many well educated youth who have taken to the conservation of indigenous breeds and so support it.
Yep, that’s what I was asking from you too….to stop generalising this issue as an “Urban elite vs Rural customs” thing. There are varied opinions in the educated class ….and to generalise this as an Urban vs rural issue is just running away from the core problem of the issue.
Lastly, supporting Jallikattu does not mean supporting social evils such as Sati. At the same time, we should not label every activity in the village as barbaric.
True, but supporting jallikattu for the sake of it being an age old custom and tradition is irrelevant and stupid as there were other traditions that were ridiculous as well. Noone’s labelling every activity in the village as barbaric
I’ve finally found time to go through the judgement report and if anyone’s interested
https://www.scribd.com/doc/222672992/Jallikattu...
Go to Page 15….read the violations that were recorded when AWBI observed just 3 events in 2013 when the sport was allowed after promises of regulation by TN.
TLDR; version
1. 80% of the bulls had their ears cut because the owners falsely believed that the bulls would be able to hear sounds from the rear…useful in the arena.
2. Many bulls suffered from dislocated/amputated tails
3. Sanitation issues – Bulls forced to stand together…hence 95% bulls covered in faeces and urine…which are indicators of fear and pain
4. Absence of containment area….1 bull died hit by bus….another broke its leg after jumping….2 bulls fell into open wells
5. Abuse runs rampant in vadi vaasals(holding area)…Biting, twisting tails…poking with sticks, knives…irritant solutions rubbed into eyes and nose…nose ropes yanked, pulled to control the bull….some bulls were observed to have bleeding noses….agitated bulls run into barricades, police watch towers in the arena injuring themselves
6. Bulls forced to stand for upto 8 hrs in the narrow, cramped…vadi vaasal…cant move, sit….meanwhile hooted, frightened by crowds.
7. Bulls werent offered food or water from 8 AM to 3 PM ….Unable to stand up due to dehydration and exhaustion.
8. Bulls were forced to drink liquids that were likely liquor
9. Many people including police officials beat exhausted bulls with sticks to agitate them
Go to page 38 for the Animal Welfare Officer’s report and his primary Observation
While it is not possible to conduct animal sport like Jallikattu without causing trauma and cruelty to animals, it was anticipated that the guidelines and rules would ensure that the cruelty is minimum
The events at the surface looked very organised and orderly but scratching a little below surface showed that the abuse and violations now have been hidden away from the main arena. The unruly people have found their own place away from media glare and eyes of Animal Welfare Officers
Then Ban non veg all Indian must be pure veg if you are think it is non legal then stop all mcdonalds like shops and then say mantra like as clean India as veg India……
If in jallikattu bulls get harmed then why it’s banned then what about bakri Id this is hypocracy from supreme Court
People saying there are other ways to conserve the native breed should also understand that there are umpteen number of better ways to curb black money than to ban notes and force people to go cashless.
There are ulterior motives behind all these bans, be it currency or Jallikattu. All such bans are only going to favour corporates. PM banned notes and canvassed for private players like PayTM for online transactions. You don’t have to be an expert to realize that PayTM is reaping the rewards by way of commission charges for online transactions. And what about black money? It’s been official that 97% of money in circulation has come back, which means only 3% of it was black/fake?
I request people not to be fooled by these corporate propaganda, who will manipulate everything to profit from them. And don’t listen to the Govt. that it is all for the benefit of the country and its people. It’s all a big lie!
I might sound like a conspiracy theorist, but if you sit back and think it over, you’ll know how the Govt. and the Media brainwashes us. Do take some time and watch a Documentary called “Inequality for all”.
There are two ways you can argue for jallikattu
1. Denying that any animal cruelty is necessary for the sport to happen.
2. Accepting that cruelty is inherent in the sport and that its a necessary evil to safeguard the indigenous breeds.
When you believe in 1 there’s no necessity in playing the ‘Tamil pride’, ‘tradition’ and ‘indigenous breeds’ cards. Totally unnecessary…noone is against those things….not even the most urban-est elite-st person says…To hell with Tamilians…or Traditions are for illiterates…or Indigenous breeds are a menace.
All that needs to be done is for someone to document a video….follow all the regulations…get it to a vet…get it properly checked…lead it into the arena…and let it go. Film all of this without any cuts or edits. Or even better…with all the opportunistic politicians and celebrities getting involved its not hard for someone to afford a 360 degree GoPro camera….tie it to one of the bulls in those illegal jallikattu events being organised. That’s all it takes to prove that animal cruelty doesn’t go hand in hand with jallikattu.
If you believe in 2, its a different discussion altogether…its a discussion about whether indigenous breeds are indeed on the brink of extinction….whether they are more beneficial than the existing options. BUT, the first part is accepting that cruelty occurs….and not one person from all the proponents of jallikattu has the guts or rationality to accept that. They try to divert the topic from cruelty…by cloaking the subject in tones of regionalism….Tamil pride….tradition…urban vs rural…indegenous breeds…Western funded conspiracy.
Ill draw you a parallel between the arguments of demonetisation and jallikattu as you were one of those who passionately hated demonetisation.
A : Demonetisation(jallikattu) causes unnecessary inconvenience to all the citizens(cruelty to animals)
B : Oh, so you must be against eradication of black money(tradition)….you filthy anti-nationalist(high handed urban-elitist)
A: No I’m not, but people(bulls) have died waiting in lines(participating in jallikattu)
B: Provide better amenities in waiting lines(Enforce the rules better). Why does one or two stray incidents necessitate the rollback of demonetisation(ban on jallikattu)
A: Its not just one or two stray incidents its inconvenience to each and every person(bull) waiting in the queue(participating in this sport). Providing better amenities (enforcing better rules)doesn’t mean that the inconvenience(cruelty) will go away. People(Bulls) still have to stand in lines(be agitated) to get money(to make them to run)
B: Demonetisation(Jallikattu) is a surgical strike against black money/corruption(ancient tradition/custom). If you are against demonetisation(jallikattu) you must have black money stashed under your bed(against native species). Do you know how much poor people suffer because of black money and corruption(conservation of native species)
A: How the fu%# does demonetisation eradicate black money(jallikattu safe guard native species). Do you have any data/research to back that up? How much black money(native breeds of cattle) has been caught(raised) so far? Anyways, that’s not the issue….major inconvenience(cruelty) is being caused to poor people(animals)….That is the concerning issue.
B: What inconvenience(cruelty)? People are more than happy to stand in lines for their nation(Bulls are cared for more than the owner’s children). You have no idea what patriotism means(about the relation between a bull and the owner)
A: There is research about businesses failing, interviews of people standing in lines(biting tails, poking bulls with sharp objects) by various news channels(AWBI, PETA)
B: They are pro-Congress or anti-nationalist(funded by Western nations to kill our native species)
@raven_kira Define cruelty for me then.
A certain amount of pressure is required from another agency to bring out the potential hidden in a thing. I think it has become an issue of semantics here. You think the bulls/cows would ever come voluntarily to help us humans? We are manipulating them, there is no denying that but bracketing it all as “cruelty” is too simplistic a viewpoint. If you extend this argument to its extremes, then whatever man does is cruel, even tilling the land, plucking fruits off a tree.
Were you arguing so far knowing that we werent on the same page on the definition for cruelty?
Cruelty → violation of rules and regulations made for jallikattu. As mentioned in the judgement report…all the recorded ‘cruelty’ by officials….anything violating the PCA act.
So which argument’s side are you on? 1 or 2?
How will you determine the best bull in the lot for mating?
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/This-1...
Simple Q to PETA why these Hindu haters ( surviving on oil money of cult ) PETA do daily brushing of there tooth they kill 1000 of innocent germs daily
They kill the animal taken into their custody if no one comes forward to adopt it within a few days of its arrival. These are the people for ethical treatment of animals!
The gap between night and day got blurred. Now that’s passion!
I think jallikattu won against Peta temporarily .
As per news all central govt ministries given their green signal to ordinance and tamilnadu cm is going to start it tomorrow .
BJP seeking hold on Tamilnadu
indha thread innum uyiroda tan irukka
u r a good fighter [like dimepincher and infrared1100]