G Chithra, a 35-year-old homemaker from the city, was brimming with joy as she got to see a jallikattu event live for the first time on Sunday. She said though she had seen the bull-taming sport in television, she wanted to see it live. "Though I wanted to go to Madurai to see the event, I didn't get an opportunity. Now I'm happy to see it in my hometown," she said.
Like Chithra, thousands of people from the city witnessed the bull taming sport for the first time. The pro-jallikattu protests in January 2017 had evoked interest among them for the sport. S Vishram, an IT professional, said he had participated in the jallikattu protests held in the city last year. "I participated in the first protest at Codissia and then at VOC Park," he said.
Arun Vishnu, another IT professional, too had participated in the pro-jallikattu protests. "Though we have seen several visuals of the sport, seeing it live has been a completely different experience. The bulls are much bigger and bulkier than we thought," he said. Vishram and Vishnu said such events have to be held regularly so that the traditional sports and native breed cattle don't go extinct.
Many viewers recalled the emotions that ran high in January and spoke how the traditional sport has been 'won' again by students and youngsters.
The event, held at Chettipalayam near L&T bypass in the city, had around 450 bulls and 350 tamers from 17 districts in participation. The event was organised by the district administration along with city-based Ohmkar foundation. Several bull owners had come from Madurai, Sivaganga, Pudukkottai and Trichy. K Chinnayya, 32, a bull owner from Sivaganga said his Bull has won in 15 jallikattu events last year. "This year, after Palamedu, I have brought my bull Raja to Coimbatore," he said.
"I'm confident no one will win over my bull here. Or else I wouldn't bring it all the way," he said. True to his word, Raja, one of the first bulls to be released, sped past almost 100 tamers to win a gold coin.
Before the bulls were given a clearance to be enlisted for the sport, a team of veterinarians checked whether the bulls had been given alcohol and for the sharpness of their horns. "We take a swab from the bull's nostrils and check them for alcohol. If the bull's horns are too sharp, we blunt it using a file," said Dr S Thirukumaran, assistant director of animal husbandry. There were 18 teams of veterinarians to check each one of the almost 450 bulls that were registered, he added. Gold coins and cash were given to players who managed to tame a bull or to the owners of the bulls which managed not to be tamed by anyone. A car was given each to the player who tamed the most number of bulls and the best bull.
