What was at one point of time a rough contact sport involving bulls and men, jallikattu somehow evolved last year into a symbol of Tamil culture and pride. Huge crowds gathered at various places in the State, mainly the Marina in Chennai, to protest against the banning of the sport. Jallikattu did not take place in 2015 and 2016, with protests confined to local areas.
Eventually, in 2017, the Tamil Nadu government passed an ordinance to allow the conduct of the sport, but subsequent events were vitiated by deaths and accusations of ill-treatment of the animals.
Preparations are on, once again, to conduct jallikattu and other sports such as rekla races and eruthottam.
Actually, jallikattu begins long before a bull is allowed to enter the arena on the day of the event. It begins when a calf in Madurai, Tiruchi, Pudukottai or other districts in Tamil Nadu shows it has a mind of its own.
Stories of the disobedient animal — often of the indigenous Pulikulam or Kangayam variety — travel from village to village. In the shed where the calf is kept, children arrive first, taunting, and are given a lesson in respect by the charging animal.
Growing into a hefty bull, the animal answers only to its trainer or owner. Keeping up its high energy levels is a special diet, which some owners throw together by even skimping on their food.
Training of the bull goes on for weeks on end, and involves taking the animal for a swim to strengthen its limbs and allowing it to run through makeshift vaadivasals in the presence of teasing youngsters.