:: jallikattu ::

Do we need Jallikattu even in this 21st Century? Every year, i think on the same lines, when i see the news/article with sad/bad news coming from Madurai and few other parts of TamilNadu. Every year, i expect that the event will be banned atleast from this year.

What is this event all about?
1. Jallikattu is wild bull taming sport ( first place can we call this a sport?) played in Tamil Nadu as a part of Pongal celebration.
2. Have 2 other names like MANJU VIRATTU (chasing the bull) / YERU THAZHUVUDHAL (hugging the bull).
3. Its one of the oldest events, as old as 2,000 B.C. to 1,500 B.C (found some paintings on caves, in a village near kothagiri in Nilgiris, TN)
4. According to legend, in olden days the game was used by women to choose their husbands. Successful "matadors" were chosen as grooms. And men also tame the bull for the bunch of coins tied in the horns of the bull.
5. The Majestic Kangeyam bull is involved in this game by Jameendar's, as they are naturally more ferocious and muscular than any other of its species.

Is it relevant now?
1. Is this event relevant for the current scenario?
2. How many women select the matadors as their grooms?
3. How do we call this as the sensible tradition?
4. Why should we harm the animal and harm self as well?
5. What is the kind of pleasure men get out of this horrifying act?
6. Don't we have better entertainment/work to do, other than jallikattu?
7. What is the lose, if we ban this? May be Some bull owners will incur some monetory losses.

Why should we BAN?
1. No relevancy to the current scenario. We should be Sensible enough to understand the issue.
2. No tradition is good, which permits us to harm anybody, human or animal.
3. No Safety / Security for the men cos of animal and vice versa.
4. No humneness, when the bulls are allegedly made to drink arrack and chilli powder is sprinkled into their eyes to make them ferocious.

Why should we NOT fight against BAN?
1. Jallikattu is just an other practise followed in few disctricts of TAMILNADU.
2. We are gonna loose nothing, if we ban this activity. TamilNadu will get its own Foreign investment / Number of tourists etc.
3. Check the list of abolished Senseless Traditions to quote a few from the country. Sati Pratha / Child Marriage (to some extent) / Caste System (to some extent) / Devadasi System (are we arguing that Jallikattu is older than Devadasi System?)

Few pointers to note:
1. Im a TAMILIAN and I seriously dont feel BAD that im loosing an AGE OLD Tradition, If we ban Jallikattu.
2. Looking for a Socio-Cultural Revolution to evaluate several old age practises.

~ peevee.