'Avaniyapuram' Jallikattu held, best dodging bull's owner gets tractor as prize; participant killed

Madurai (Tamil Nadu): The popular 'Avaniyapuram' Jallikattu, bull taming sport, was held here on Tuesday on the day of harvest festival 'Pongal,' and the owner of the bull, declared as best, won a tractor as prize, and the bull tamer declared first got a car.

A bull tamer was killed and at least 10 were injured.

As the bulls, smeared with sandalpaste, leaped out of the 'Vadivasal,' the entrance to the sporting arena from the enclosure for animals, enthusiastic young men, one after the other, tried their best to get a hold around the bull's hump to emerge the winner.

While the men and bulls were engaged in a nerve-racking game to outsmart each other, the spectators thronged the venue to get a first hand experience and a few boys and girls too ran into the arena out of sheer excitement and the day turned out be fun and frolic for them.

While tamers did try their best to embrace every bull, their efforts turned futile in respect of some bulls as they were frightened by the menacing looks and posture of the animals.

The sporting event also had its share of distressing moments as a young man, Navin Kumar, was gored to death by a bull and atleast 10 others sustained injuries. Some clashes also took place such as a minor incident between a few players and a bull owner.

Malayandi, the owner of the bull adjudged the best for successfully dodging many tamers received a tractor as first prize and Karthik, named the outstanding player for subduing as many as 19 bulls got a car as the first prize.

A young man, Ranjit Kumar of Avaniyapuram, won Rs 1 lakh cash prize for embracing a ferocious bull. Also, prizes were distributed for other category of winners, which includes a motorcycle.

The top prizes were given away on behalf of Chief Minister M K Stalin (tractor) and Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin (car), Minister for Commercial Taxes, P Moorthy said.

Minister for Information Technology, Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, top district officials took part.

In total, approximately 825 bulls and 500 men took part in the event. Police had made elaborate security arrangements.

On January 15 and 16, jallikattu will be held at Madurai's Palamedu and Alanganallur respectively.

Although days ago, a jallikattu event was held in Pudukottai district's Thatchankurichi, marking the commencement of the 2025 sporting season, the events in Madurai, beginning with Avaniyapuram here, are the most popular.