The centuries-old bull-taming tradition, Jallikattu, commenced on Tuesday January 14, 2024 in Avaniyapuram, Madurai, marking the start of the state's Pongal celebrations.
The popular bull- taming competition held on Pongal day in Madurai district left about 59 people, including tamers, bull owners and spectators injured.
The recent 'revelation' by TN fishers freed by Sri Lanka after they had paid up Lankan rupees 50,000 each in fines, that their hair was tonsured in prison and they were forced to remove their garments other than the underpants, and were also made to clean toilets, as if with vengeance, has touched a raw nerve this time, just as another issue or issues had done it ahead of the Jallikattu protests, observes N Sathiya Moorthy.
About 42 people, including 14 tamers and 16 spectators, were injured in the second major event of the Pongal 2024 Jallikattu season at Palamedu in Madurai on Tuesday, January 16, 2024.
Abhishek Chinnappa/Getty Images captures glimpses from Jallikattu this year
The 26-year-old construction worker, whose passion is to tame bulls, appeared unstoppable in taming nine bulls, but succumbed after he was fatally gored by a bull at the jallikattu event in the district.
Despite severe restrictions imposed on the number of bulls, bull-tamers and spectators thanks to the pandemic, Jallikattu organisers are hopeful of the show going on this Pongal.
Amid the shadow of the third wave of COVID-19, people of India marked different festivals across the country.
Gandhi said he has "received tremendous love and affection from people of Tamil Nadu and it is my duty to stand with people of Tamil Nadu and protect their history, their culture and their language."
The Lok Sabha MP also accused the BJP-led NDA govt at the Centre of trying to benefit "two or three of their friends" on the matter.
The petitioner demanded that Jallikattu must be conducted under the supervision of the district collector.
As the feisty bulls, one after the other started racing towards the lengthy sporting arena from the entrance, known as 'vadivasal,' young men waiting with bated breath strained every nerve to latch on to the hump of the animals.
The harvest festival of Pongal was celebrated across Tamil Nadu on Friday, though the festivity was low key in southern districts, including Madurai, following the Supreme Court ban on the bull taming sport of Jallikattu.
Did an officer in the Tamil Nadu Intelligence Bureau deliberately keep mum about the plot to target BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani during his October 2011 Rath Yatra? Was a police informer behind the failed operation?
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances