In Tamil Nadu, class 12 girl trains bull for Jallikattu ahead of Pongal

The Jallikattu sport has found a friend in a Madurai girl studying in class 12. She has kept a Jallikattu bull as her friend and is training him for Tamil Nadu’s traditional sport, which is scheduled to be held in the next couple of weeks, as the festival of Pongal is around the corner. She has been training the bull for the last three years, a feat for a teenage girl.

Family with four generations of Jallikattu bulls

"I am studying in Class 12 and our family has four generations of Jallikattu Bulls," the teenage girl said and added the bull is like any other family member. "Jallikattu will be held next month. Now we are busy preparing the bull for Jallikattu. At present we are giving fodder to the bull and in the future, we will provide training in walking, swimming and digging mud."

The bull is loving at home, but aggressive during the Jallikattu sport, the girl said. "My bull is affectionate when he is at home with us but aggressive when he goes to the Jallikattu field. The bull does nothing to the people in the house," she said, describing the protective nature of the bull.

Gearing up for Jallikattu

Bull trainers in Tamil Nadu's Madurai are gearing up for Jallikattu, ahead of the festival of Pongal. Bulls are being trained on the skills of walking and swimming. More than 20 youths from Podumbu village of Madurai district have started training 10 bulls for the competition.

The sport, which is also known as 'Eru Thazhuvuthal' or 'Manjuvirattu' is slated to be held in the next two weeks. The bulls are trained on various skills during the process called as 'Mann Kuthal', which includes digging horns in wet earth.

They are trained to attack when someone tries to hold their hump. The training is ongoing as the government has already announced the sport of Tamils will be held as per the schedule during Pongal. Notably the Supreme court is currently hearing a case, which challenges the Tamil Nadu law that allows the Jallikattu sport with concerns the sport leads to cruelty to animals.

(With ANI inputs)

Image: ANI