Jallikattu
Jallikattu is an ancient sport of Tamil people where healthy bulls are pitted against healthy bulls. Jallikattu is also known with other names such as eru thazhuvuthal and manju virattu. Jallikattu is sport in which crowd tries to control te bull. However Jallikattu is not only limited to controlling the bull, it has various religious and sentimental meaning also. During the event bull is released into a crowd of people and multiple human participants attempt to grab the large hump of the bull with both arms and hang on to it while the bull attempts to escape. History of Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu is very old. According to some literatures and mural paintings, evidence of Jallikattu are as old as 4500 years.
Jallikattu has been known to be practiced during the Tamil classical period (400-100 BC). It was common among the ancient people Aayars who lived in the 'Mullai' geographical division of the ancient Tamil country. Even some seals from the oldest civilization in India, Indus valley civilization depict this practice. One of such seal has been kept in the National Museum in the Capital. Evidence of such practice are also present inside the cave painting near Madurai. This cave painting is found to be 2500 years old.
There are several general rules to Jallikattu:
- The bull will be released into the arena through the vadi vasal, an entry gate.
- The contestant should only hold the bull by its hump. Holding by the neck, horns or tail results in disqualification.
- The contestant should hold the bull's hump for 30 seconds or for 4.6 metres, whichever is the longer when the bull attempts to escape.
- If the bull throws the contestant off before the line or if no-one manages to hold on to the bull, then the bull will be declared victorious. If the contestant manages to hold on to the hump till it crosses the finish line, then the contestant is declared the winner.
- Only one contestant should hold on to the bull at one time. If more than one contestant holds on to the bull, then there is no winner.
- Jallikattu in the original form respects the bull. Rule says no contestant should hit or hurt the bull in any manner.