This year, the event features 1,100 bulls and 900 tamers under the supervision of the district administration-led Jallikattu Organising Committee.
Published Jan 14, 2025 | 1:40 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 14, 2025 | 5:01 PM
Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu's Madurai begins with the event in Avaniyapuram
The Jallikattu in Avaniyapuram village at around 6.30 am on Tuesday, 14 January, marked the beginning of the annual three-day event in the Madurai district of Tamil Nadu.
This year, the event features 1,100 bulls and 900 tamers under the supervision of the district administration-led Jallikattu Organising Committee.
The best bull will be awarded a tractor worth ₹11 lakh and the best bull-tamer will receive a car worth ₹8 lakh. Other prizes include gold and silver coins, appliances, bicycles, and more.
The Palamedu and Alanganallur Jallikattu events will be held on 15 January and 16 January.
The event was marred on day 1 after a participant died. A participant injured during the Avaniyapuram Jallikattu, after being gored by a bull, was sent to Madurai Government Rajaji Hospital for advanced treatment. The hospital administration confirmed that the participant passed away.
The event, scheduled to end at 5 pm, may be extended based on the situation. Authorities have ensured strict compliance with all safety protocols, emphasising tradition while maintaining law and order.
The Madurai district administration has made strict rules and security measures in place for the smooth conduct of the events.
According to the directions issued by the Madurai district administration, each bull can participate only in one of the three Jallikattu competitions in the district, reported ANI. Each bull can be accompanied only by its owner and a trainer familiar with the bull.
The bull tamers and owners had registered themselves through the official district administration website, “madurai.nic.in”, and the documents were verified by the authorities.
Eligible people received a downloadable token, which is mandatory for participation.
Over 2,000 police personnel, led by District Commissioner Lokanathan, are on duty, along with bomb squads. Metal detectors are placed and drone surveillance is deployed to monitor the event. Public misbehaviour will be handled peacefully to maintain order, said officials.
Temporary toilets, drinking water tanks, and LED screens are set up for spectators.
Alcohol sales in nearby areas are banned, and traffic diversions are in place. Climbing trees to view the event is prohibited and iron bars are installed on trees to prevent accidents.
Veterinary teams, ambulances, and fire service vehicles are stationed near the venue. The power supply in the event area has been temporarily suspended for safety.
The Jallikattu events of Madurai, particularly those in Alanganallur, are internationally recognised as a vibrant celebration of Tamil heritage and rural valour.
The first Jallikattu event of Tamil Nadu for 2025 was held on Saturday at Thachankurichi village in Pudukkottai district. Pudukkottai district is known for having the highest number of vadivasal (entry points for bulls) and hosting the most Jallikattu events in Tamil Nadu.
Between January and 31 May, over 120 Jallikattu events, more than 30 bullock cart races, and over 50 vadamadu (tethered bull) events are typically conducted in the district.
Jallikattu is part of 2000-year-old traditional harvest festival celebrations, where a bull is released into a crowd of people, and participants in the event try to grab the large hump on the bull’s back, attempting to bring the bull to a stop.
The sport also has had its fair share of legal troubles. In 2006, following the death of a spectator, the Madras High Court banned the competition. Supreme Court upheld the ban in 2014.
The Tamil Nadu government, following protests, temporarily lifted the ban in 2017 and amended the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act to allow this sport.
On 8 December 2022, the Supreme Court reserved an order on petitions against the bull-taming game.
The top court had said that Jallikattu cannot be termed a blood sport as nobody is using any weapon and the blood may only be an incidental thing.
(With inputs from K Nitika Shivani.)
