The Hindu : New Delhi News : Supreme Court hearing on jallikattu today

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 15, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

New Delhi

New Delhi

Supreme Court hearing on jallikattu today

J. Venkatesan

Petition seeks modification of the interim order

“The event is attached with religious and rich cultural sentiments of people”
It is being practised time immemorial from Kadai Sangam period

New Delhi: Tamil film actor, J.K. Ritheesh alias Sivakumar on Monday moved the Supreme Court seeking permission for holding jallikattu in Alanganallur, Palamedu and Siruvayal villages as part of the Pongal festivities with the strict supervision of the district administration and police.

A three-Judge Bench of the Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, Justice R.V. Raveendran and Justice J.M. Panchal are to hear on Tuesday an application filed by Tamil Nadu seeking modification of the interim order passed by the court on January 11 refusing permission to hold the jallikattu event.

The actor’s application filed through his counsel B. Balaji would also be taken up for hearing on Tuesday. He sought impleadment in the case and prayed for lifting the stay.

In his application, he submitted that that these cultural events and bravery games with the bullocks like jallikattu, Manjuviratu and Eru Thazhuvuthal (embracing bull) “are attached with the religious and rich cultural sentiments of the people of Tamil culture and are being practised time immemorial from Kadai Sangam Period (Last Tamil Literature Period) that dates back to 5000 to 2500 BC.”

He said “It is evident from these ancient Sangam Tamil Literature books that the “embracing bull” is the age old customary practice in ancient Tamil culture that the youths who were embracing bullocks by their power and force during these religious cultural events would be offered with brides for their marriage.”

The application said that such events could not be construed as an act of subjecting the bullocks to cruelty or sufferings or ill treatment. It said “more particularly these cultural events of the Mattu Pongal festival attract more foreigners and tourists.”

The application pleaded for grant of permission to conduct the event in the three villages of Alanganallur, Palamedu and Siruvayal.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

New Delhi