2 bulls also died
Chennai – 7 people died and 400 were injured in the ‘Jallikattu’ festival organized on January 16 in various districts of Tamil Nadu on the occasion of the ‘Pongal’ festival. 2 bulls have died in Pudukkottai and Sivagangai. Most of those who lost their lives were not participants in the sport, but were bull owners and spectators. In this festival, bulls are let loose in crowds. More than 600 bulls are involved in this sport from across the state.
🐂💔 Jallikattu Tragedy in Tamil Nadu 💔🐂
📅 On January 16, during the ‘Jallikattu’ festival held as part of Pongal celebrations:
⚫ Atleast 7 people lost their lives
🔴 400 injured
🐂 2 bulls died in Pudukkottai and Sivaganga
VC: @NewIndianXpress pic.twitter.com/nHrrBq8PN9
— Sanatan Prabhat (@SanatanPrabhat) January 17, 2025
Seven people, six of them spectators, died and more than 400 others were injured in jallikattu and related bull taming events held in various parts of the state on Thursday. Among them, one person died in hospital of injuries after a bull gored him at Siravayal manjuvirattu in Sivaganga district. Another victim was a spectator at the Alanganallur jallikattu in Madurai, while two others died in separate jallikattu events in the central districts.
What is Jallikattu ?
Jallikattu is a traditional bull-taming sport that originated in Tamil Nadu, India. It is celebrated during the Pongal harvest festival, usually in January. On this day, they start the new year. On the last day of the 3-day festival, bulls are worshipped. They are decorated. Then the Jallikattu game begins. This game is a part of the Pongal festival. The history of Jallikattu is 2,500 years old. The name Jallikattu is made up of two words, jalli (coins of silver and gold) and kattu (tied). When a bull dies in Jallikattu, the players shave it and cremate it.
How it is played:
- A zebu bull is released into a crowd of people.
- Participants try to grab the bull’s hump and hold on.
- The bull tries to escape.
- Participants may need to ride the bull to cross a finish line or remove flags from its horns.