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Why I support Jallikattu

It is not just a sport but an emotion for Tamilians. It is a tradition they have followed since time immemorial

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Jallikattu is an annual bull-taming festival, commonly observed in Tamil Nadu as part of Pongal celebrations, on Maatu Pongal day. A bull is set free to run amidst a sea of people. The objective is to grab the bull’s hump and ride it for as long as possible, attempting to stop  the bull eventually. At times, participants have to ride longer to take out the flags attached to the bull’s horns.  In ancient days, people took part to display their bravery; prize money was introduced later, to encourage the participants.

The sport was soon considered cruel, violating animal rights, and so, was banned by the Supreme Court in 2014.

However, the year 2017 has been witnessing massive protests in the state, against this ban. The protestors were from all walks of life — from celebrities to spiritual gurus to political leaders.

I, for myself, strongly support Jallikattu. It is not just a sport but  an emotion for Tamilians. It is a tradition they have followed since time immemorial. It was the lenience of the sport that eventually turned nit into something tragic. Banning, I believe, isn’t the right way to address this issue. The approach towards the game could be altered to enhance it.

Fire crackers contaminate the air during Diwali, the chemical colours used during Holi are harmful for the skin, and the manja used to fly kites are a major hazard for birds. In spite of all this did we ban these festivals? No. Instead we arrived at ways to work around  the issues. Noise decibel limits were set for fire crackers, organic colours were introduced to protect the skin from harsh Holi colours, and sale of Chinese manjas were banned, for example, to tackle these issues.

The problem with regard to Jallikattu is the pain that is inflicted to the bulls to make them more aggressive. At times, people even blow chilli powder into their eyes, get them drunk or poke them with sharp objects.

These are wrong, no doubt, but there’s a bright side too. Jallikattu is believed to be the traditional art of taming bulls, which are largely domesticated animals. So, the bulls that would get tamed sooner, during the course of the event, were considered suitable for farming and transportation, while the untamed ones were considered strongest, and were used for procreation.

Thus, instead of banning the game, the Supreme Court could just implement some preventive measures to ensure minimal harm to the animal and the participants. Protective gears can be used and medical assistance can be made available at the venue. Also, strict action can be taken against those found guilty of harming the animal.

(The writer is a 19-year-old Media and Communication student at Manipal University.)

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