Pongal is celebrated with enthusiasm, particularly in Tamil Nadu. Cattle are worshipped, and Jallikattu is practised. For those unaware, Jallikattu is a sport where a bull is left open in the crowd, and participants are expected to seize the bull by grasping its hump as long as possible.
Jallikattu is derived from the words “salli” (coins) and “kattu” (package). In the past, participants were required to take a bundle of coins tied to the bull’s horns in order to tame the bull.
Jallikattu 2023: Significance and historical context
Peasants utilised Jallikattu as a traditional means of protecting the indigenous, pure-bred bulls. According to legend, Jallikattu originated during the Tamil Classical Period, which lasted from 400 to 100 B.C.
The Indus Valley civilization’s Jallikattu-depicting seal is still on display at the National Museum in New Delhi. A cave painting in Madurai depicts a lone man attempting to subdue a bull. The estimated age of the cave painting is 1,500 years.
Jallikattu is also known as ‘Eru Thazhuvuthal’ and ‘Mancuvirattu’ for the uninitiated. In a practise known as “Mann Kuthal,” bulls are trained to improve their skills by digging their horns into the wet earth.
Jallikattu enables farmers to preserve indigenous bull breeds.
Jallikattu 2023: Date
Jallikattu will be held between January 15 and 17 in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, in 2023. The majority of celebrations take place in three villages: Avaniyapuram, Palamedu, and Alanganallur.
The Jallikattu 2023 competition will be held on three different dates in these three villages: January 15 in Avaniyapuram, January 16 in Palamedu, and January 17 in Alanganallur.
Jallikattu 2023: Venue
The Jallikattu 2023 event will take place in Avaniyapuram, Palamedu, and Alanganallur, three villages in the Madurai district of Tamil Nadu.
Avaniyapuram is 6 kilometres from the city of Madurai, while Palamedu is approximately 22 kilometres away. In contrast, Alanganallur is 15 to 16 kilometres from the city. Alanganallur reportedly attracts larger crowds than the other two.
