Jallikattu is a South Indian celebration involving bull taming, somewhat similar to the Spanish running of the bulls.
It is held in the villages of Tamil Nadu on the eve of Mattu Pongal, one of the four days of Pongal festival (usually January 15 on the Western calendar).
JALLIKATTU WAS considered a heroic game of Tamilians and used to be an individual's game like the Matadors in Spain.
But now what is on offer in the name of Jallikattu to several curious onlookers including domestic and international tourists, is a frenzied crowd and suicidal squads of youths chasing angry bulls with sharp horns who are let free into narrow lanes.
The purpose of Jallikattu was to give an opportunity to youths with muscle power to display their strength and skill in catching a bull let loose in the arena.
TravelSCOPE - The Destination(Site not responding. Last check: 2007-11-04)
An exciting sport, Jallikattu or Manjavirattu is a major event in villages of South India and is held on the 4th day of the Pongal festivities (This year falls on 17/01/2003).
This festival is also a test of the young tackler's bravery and most young girls even choose their beaus from among the winners.
Jallikattu is most famous and elaborate in the villages of Alanganallur, Siravayal (Madurai District, Tamil Nadu) where a lot of time and money goes into the preparations for the festival and the excitement and anticipation is much more than normal.
Indo-Asian News Service -> India-Accident/Religion-Bullfight -> Bullfight kills two at Tamil Nadu festival(Site not responding. Last check: 2007-11-04)
Officials said the "Jallikattu" (taming the bull) event was organised Sunday evening to mark the Muthumariamman temple festival at Thiruvappur.
Forty people also suffered minor injuries as raging bulls were let out in the open, with men trying to tame them by their horns, officials said.
Jallikattu is a popular sport in the state and has unarmed men trying to control agitated bulls in an open space.
A kind of bull-fight, called the 'Jallikattu' is held in Madhurai, Tiruchirapalli and Tanjore in Tamil Nadu and several places in Andhra Pradesh.
Ballads, folk dances, dramas and songs have rich cultural heritages, 'Jallikattu' or bull fight' played in Madurai, Trichy areas are more ferocious than the bull fight which is the beloved sport of Latin speakers in Europe and south America.
On this occasion the Jallikattu (bull fight) is held in Al1angunal1ur, near Chennai.
Review On Virumandi by sureshmehcnit -- MouthShut.com(Site not responding. Last check: 2007-11-04)
The virumandi temple, pond, railway gate, the residence kothala thevar, nallamma nayakkar and the jallikattu spot, village streets, the central jail interior and exterior are crafted sets.Unbelievable work by him.
As the movie is shot with live sound recording and as it is shot in sets and not in the real village, it is necessary to concentrate to give a complete natural feel and they have done it convincingly.
The best is the audiography in jallikattu scene you feel even you are also there in the ground really watching the jallikattu.
Maybe you think the Spanish "running of the bulls" is a insane, needless, violent celebration that puts too many people and too many bulls in danger.
But it's nothing compared to the Indian "jallikattu", sometimes part of the Indian Pongal, what sounds like a harvest/new season/thanksgiving sort of four-day holiday.
According to the wikipedia entry on Jallikattu: In Jallikattu, an agitated bull is set to run in an open space.
Virumaandi Review(Site not responding. Last check: 2007-11-04)
He is emotional about his friends and will do anything for their sake including taking part in jallikattu (bull fighting).
His biggest supporter is Supputhayi, his grandmother who always reminds him that he owns the most fertile pieces of land in the village as it has “Liquid Gold”- water.
Kothala’s niece, Annalachumi (Abhirami) is a bold, aggressive girl who travels in a moped and runs her own poultry farm and rears Sorimuttu, a jallikattubull, whom Virumaandi defeats and she falls in love with him!
Really crazy to watch this most exciting game, all for the honour to win a T-shirt as a jury qualifies the winnars.
One person was gored to death and 30 others were injured while they attempted to tame the bulls at a `jallikattu' at Tiruvapur village near here today......",
how many people are killed daily on the roads due to the 'jallikattu' of bus- and lorry drivers, was not mentioned here.
Eight killed by bulls at Indian festival - (United Press International)(Site not responding. Last check: 2007-11-04)
Madras, India, Jan. 18 (UPI) -- In India eight people have been killed and 350 injured during a traditional bullfighting festival in the southern state of Tamil Nadu.
Three youths were gored to death at the famous Jallikattubullfighting contest in Aranganallur, about 15 miles from the state capital, Madras.
Five others died at the sharpened horns of the charging bulls in a different district, Sify news reported Tuesday.
Tiruchirappali: Eight people were killed and 350 injured, some of them seriously, in Madurai, Sivaganga, Pudukkottai and Tiruchirapalli districts of Tamil Nadu in 'Jallikattu', the ancient bravery rural sport of Tamils.
8 dead, 350 hurt in TN in ‘Jallikattu’ - Deccan Herald(Site not responding. Last check: 2007-11-04)
8 dead, 350 hurt in TN in ‘Jallikattu’ - Deccan Herald
8 dead, 350 hurt in TN in ‘Jallikattu’ »
Eight people were killed and 350 injured, some of them seriously, in the Madurai, Sivaganga, Pudukkottai and Tiruchirapalli districts of Tamil Nadu in “Jallikattu” (taming of bulls), the ancient bravery sport of the Tamils.
The two shouted for help until another boy reached the scene and hauled to two of them out.
MADURAI, Jan 15: Come `Pongal', and it is the season of `Jallikattu', when intrepid men match their strength against ferocious bulls.
Meanwhile, arrangements are underway for the Jallikattu to be held on January 16 at nearby Alanganalur, which attracts a great many visitors, including some from abroad.
In Suriyur near Thiruvarambur, a few villages near Manaparai and around Tiruchy, during the Pongal festival, Bull catching (Jallikattu) is taking place on mostly Kanum Pongal days.During Mahasivarathiri(Next day) (Feb. - Mar.).Jallikattu takes at koothapar 2 kms north Thiruvarambur.
This is very popular form of martial art, which has survived the tests of time.
