The Hindu : Cruelty in the name of valour

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 18, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Madurai

Cruelty in the name of valour

By R. Krishnamoorthy

MADURAI, JAN.17. The Alanganallur `jallikattu' (taming of bulls) today turned out to be a tame affair as was in the previous years.

Under the pretext of conducting a valorous game, the organisers did injustice to the hapless bulls by not restricting the overenthusiastic tamers from inflicting injuries on them. A good number of frightened bulls ran straight out of the `vadi vassal.'

Left with little space, the bulls, barring a few, could not turn in any other direction. The small arena was jam-packed and the acts of valour on the part of tamers were very few and far in between.

The yelling crowd exploiting the helplessness of the bulls descended on the smaller and docile animals with a kind of vehemence while letting the robust and ferocious ones get away. The prize-winners were determined on the basis of who clung on to the hump first and the duration of clinging. Their eagerness to provoke the bulls into rebellion was not matched by their physical or mental ability to counter the terror-stricken animals. Many put up a face of heroism after just touching the animals or beating them and pulling their tails. Those with the real valour could not get the opportunity to exhibit it, as there was no room for manoeuvrability.

On the other hand, the rules of the game were not followed by bull-owners too. Most of them smeared oil and lubricants on the horns and the hump, lest the tamers catch them. If the bull was not tamed, the owner was entitled to the prizes.

Prizes to the tune of Rs.4. lakhs, including 100 gold coins, five rings of a sovereign each, five chains of a sovereign each, silver coins, vessels, clothes etc. were mobilised by the Alanganallur Village Committee, organiser of the event.

Little did the foreign tourists realise that they would suddenly find themselves in an inhospitable situation. There was just one concrete gallery, which could accommodate not more than 50 persons. But since it was also meant for the media persons and local dignitaries, it was so overcrowded that only those seated on the first row could entirely make out what was happening in the arena. Also, by the time the Tourism department took foreign tourists to Alanganallur from the city in a government transport corporation bus, the event had already begun. Many who wanted to leave in a huff were dissuaded from doing so owing to the fear that ferocious bulls might attack them.

The Collector, B. Chandra Mohan, witnessed the event for a short duration while the Superintendent of Police, Avi Prakash Sinha, remained there till the end.

Neutral observers were sore that the `jallikattu' organised on the previous day at Palamedu in a much better manner had not been accorded due importance. They feel it is time the Tourism department switched over its patronage to the event at Palamedu. However, the Tourist Officer, Bhaskaran Dhanaraj, said cooperation was not forthcoming from the organisers at Palamedu unlike in Alanganallur. However, he said, from next year onwards foreign tourists would be provided adequate information about the Palamedu event so that they could go there at their own initiative.

The Alanganallur Town Panchayat Chairman, D. Ragupathy, said a Rs.15-lakh proposal submitted to the Tourism department, for raising another structure, had been put in cold storage. The Tourism Officer said the department had approached the MLA representing Samayanallur Assembly segment for allotting the amount from the local area development fund.

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