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Jallikattu: The Race Begins at Palamedu

The Quint visited Palamedu near Madurai to give you a glimpse into Jallikattu, and the festivities around it.

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The anticipation builds watching the vaadivaasal (the entrance through which the bull emerges). Clad in green jersey shirts, a swarm of people stand in the open ground. Loud cheers from the stands engulf the ground. As the festival begins, the ‘Jallikattu’ bull charges and the crowds go ecstatic.

‘Jallikattu’ marks the start of the four-day harvest festival of Pongal in Tamil Nadu. The bull-taming sport that involves aggressive confrontation between cattle and humans is very popular in the state.

Jallikattu was banned by the Supreme Court in 2014, but after a fortnight of massive protests by thousands of people, the Tamil Nadu and central governments stepped in to reverse the bar.

The Quint visited Palamedu near Madurai to give you a glimpse into the sport and the festivities around it.

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A bull waits in the sun at Palamedu, waiting for its time.

The Quint visited Palamedu near Madurai to give you a glimpse into Jallikattu, and the festivities around it.

Waiting for his bull, his turn at the Jallikattu at Palamedu near Madurai.

The Quint visited Palamedu near Madurai to give you a glimpse into Jallikattu, and the festivities around it.

If the participant manages to hang on to the hump of the bull for a specific distance, he is declared a winner. A public address system constantly announces if the animal or the man is the winner.

A huge number of spectators, including children and foreign tourists, gather in the stands to watch the event.

The Quint visited Palamedu near Madurai to give you a glimpse into Jallikattu, and the festivities around it.

Every year, more than 2,000 bulls participate in Jallikattu, which will be held till 31 January. 730 bulls in Avaniyapuram, 700 bulls in Alanganallur and 650 bulls in Palamedu are participating in the competitions this year.

So far, over 35 men, including participants and spectators, have been injured in Madurai.

(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)

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Topics:  Madurai   Jallikattu 

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