TN youth ask for separate facility to train for Jallikattu

Young enthusiasts from Dharmapuri have requested the district collector to facilitate set up of Tamil Nadu's first Jallikattu training facility to prevent fatalities during participation in the competition.

On December 10, youth participants from Dharmapuri approached the district's administrative headquarters with tow bulls and filed a petition during a grievance day meeting. In the petition, they asked the district administration for the permission to set up a modern training facility for Jallikattu bulls and a separate training unit for participants from Dharmapuri to take part in the Jallikattu competition across the state so that they do not receive fatal injuries.

According to P Arumugan, Jallikattu is a traditional sport of Tamil Nadu and its true virtue is celebrating the taming of the bull which is a symbolic representation of man's love for cattle. It is a celebration which puts man and oxen on an equal platform. It is a practice that transcends religion, race, caste and is a cultural practice of all Tamilians.

From January there will be various tournaments held across the state and there will be many participants in all the districts across Tamil Nadu. Every year many participants get injured and even lose lives. So, setting up a modern Jallikattu facility is necessary to train the youth before they participated in such tournaments, he said. Further, he added that candidates will be selected on the basis of physical test and medical tests and oxen will also be trained. Arumugam said that oxen will be treated ethically and will not be subjected to any form of cruelty. It also paves way for spreading Tamil culture, he said.

When contacted, District Collector, S Malarvizhi was not reachable, but other sources said that she had received the petition and will decide on the matter. As such facilities have not been set up in the state before, there are many aspects to be noted and the collector will look into the matter they said.

Remove batch system, says enthusiasts

The members of Tamil Nadu Jallikattu Youth Federation requested the government to lift the batch system to tame the bulls, at Dindigul. The members of TNJYF assembled at the collectorate and said, the government introduced batch system among the bull tamers, in which, a particular batch of tamers is allowed to enter into the arena and they should come out from there after a stipulated time. Then, another batch will take part in Jallikattu. Hence, the bull tamers lost their interest when they can not control the ferocious and able bulls. 

It will take at least 20 minutes to enter the fresh batch into the ground and the bulls have to be stopped at the Vadi Vasal (entry point) till the bull tamers get ready to face the bulls. Hence, they requested the government to lift the batch system and let the bull tamers play the game freely.