Chennai: Jallikattu was underway in Madurai district’s Avaniapuram on Sunday with over 950 bulls and 1,200 bull-tamers participating in the mega event.
As many as 15 medical teams and 20 ambulances have been deployed to ensure the safety and security of those participating.
Madurai(TN): #Jallikattu underway in Avaniapuram; 1200tamers,950bulls participating;15medical teams,20ambulances deployed fr safety&security
— ANI (@ANI_news) February 5, 2017
Jallikattu festivities resumed in Tamil Nadu after the Supreme Court on February 1 refused stay a new Jallikattu law passed by the state government.
Madurai’s Alanganallur will on February 10 hold Jallikattu festivities where the winner stands to win a car.
Besides the car, the winner of the event would also get gold coins, steel cupboard, cot and mega size vessels, the organisers said.
Alanganallur town is famous for Jallikattu and used to attract a large number of spectators, including foreign tourists.
Jallikattu, usually held during the harvest festival of Pongal in mid-January, could not be organised in the past three years in view of the ban on the sport.
With the Tamil Nadu government promulgating an ordinance and subsequently getting a Bill passed in the state Assembly allowing Jallikattu, the event is being held in several parts of the state in the past few days.
The government intervention came after a week-long protest largely by youths, including students, in the Marina Beach in Chennai, and elsewhere in the state, including here last month.
Organisers here said registration for the bulls and sportsmen would begin on February 6 and 7 respectively.
Meanwhile, a total of 400 bulls and 500 sportsmen participated in the jallikattu organised at Ulagampatti in the district. The winners were given prizes ranging from silver coin to currency notes to furnitures.
(With agency inputs)