No Time for This Sport: Why Jallikattu Needs to be Bull Rushed Out
The past few weeks have seen tumultuous protests in the state of Tamil Nadu against the ban of the bull taming sport that is known as Jallikattu.
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The past few weeks have seen tumultuous protests in the state of Tamil Nadu against the ban of the bull taming sport that is known as Jallikattu.

Jallikattu is an ancient sport that has been practiced in Tamil Nadu around the Mahapongal celebrations. In essence, a bull has pieces of gold or silver coins attached to its horns and is released either into an enclosed space or open one. The rider attempts to secure the treasure while holding onto one of the humps of the bull, while the bull tries to escape without being subdued. There are variations of this sport all throughout Tamil Nadu, but the goal is the same.

Jallikattu has garnered much attention in the eyes of the citizenry and has become very polarizing. There was a suspension of the sport that was reversed when the Central government acquiesced with the wishes of the Tamil Nadu government to slightly modify the ban on Jallikattu in January 2016. However, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) roundly challenged the motion, and a stay order was issued by the Supreme Court citing the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

Many Tamils believe that this sport is part of their historically rich culture. They passionately feel that the sport should not have been banned on the grounds of cruelty to animals. Youth in large numbers are protesting - and to their credit protesting peacefully - all throughout the state.

Celebrities have also added their bit by fasting, tweeting and calling for more support against the ban. Tamil film star Kamal Hassan has been vociferous in his support of maintaining the tradition on Twitter. AR Rahman and Vishwanath Anand have also chimed in with their support.

Personally, as someone who is Tamil and a practicing Hindu, I am bewildered at how this can not be considered cruelty. While not on the same level as dogfighting, cockfighting or even the bull fights of the Spanish and Portuguese, the bulls in Jallikattu are not spared from pain or stress.

Firstly, the bulls have one or more human beings pulling, grasping and climbing on top of its body. Would we want a person to do that to us? I don’t think so. That is assault.

There have been reports of bulls being hit with sticks and having their tails bitten and bent causing damage to the spinal column. Furthermore, some bulls are made to drink alcohol to slightly disorient them, thereby facilitating an easier mount by a rider in addition to having chili paste purposely smeared into their eyes in order to get them agitated and aggressive.

As far as potential injuries are concerned, it has been reported that from 2010 to 2014, there were approximately 1,100 injuries and 17 deaths as a result of Jallikattu activities, with at least 200 deaths over the past two decades.

I am simply shaking my head in disbelief. What cannot be denied is that these bulls are being made to “perform” for the pleasure of humans. So many of these photographs that I have seen over the internet look so uncomfortable for these animals as if they are thinking, “Why me?” and “Get off me!”

The bull’s natural instincts of fear and the desire for self-protection at the expense of human life are on display for all to see. Even those who are watching can be acutely placed in harm’s way when an irritated bull approaches. I can only imagine what horrors these bulls must have to endure for human exploitation masquerading as “culture”.

Many view the ban as a loss of tradition and an attack on their Tamil culture. But has it not already been established that there are many things with our traditions and culture that need to objectively analyzed, especially involving the rights of women and gender roles as an example? Some could say that we all need to look in the proverbial mirror and try to be the best version of our selves in order to address the ills of our society.

We share such love for dogs and cats and would never have the unmitigated gall to see them put in such situations like these bulls. Do we not think that there is a God who is the ultimate witness to how we, as humans, regard His creation that include animals?

We observe a painting of Lord Krishna standing confidently with cows sheltering near Him. We would never think to ourselves that trying to mount an agitated cow is a good idea.

Culture is a fluid entity; it varies with time. Won’t it make our culture stronger if we extricate the bad, unnecessary and antiquated? I believe so.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect TamilCulture’s editorial policy. If you have an alternative perspective that you would like to share with our readers, give us a shout at info@tamilculture.com! 

Related articles: I’ve Got All the Time: Why I Support Jallikattu Finding Tamil Identity Frozen Values: Is the Tamil Diaspora Caught in a Time Warp? January is Officially Declared as Tamil Heritage Month in Canada


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