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Avaniyapuram, southern India, hours before dawn tamil nadua large group of people gather together to celebrate the annual harvest festival called Pongal. Spectators occupied the long temporary stands built on either side of the barricaded track. Those who cannot find space climb onto the roofs of nearby houses.
At one end of the runway below, dozens of barefoot men wearing brightly colored numbered shirts and matching shorts were pushing and pulling themselves onto other people’s shoulders, trying to see what was behind the narrow opening.
A stocky bull suddenly burst out of the opening, leaping several feet into the air as soon as it appeared. Two men jumped on it and tried to grab hold of its protruding hump. Neither was successful and within seconds the bull disappeared along the tracks.
The men regrouped and waited at the door for their next opportunity. They could see an agitated bull, wearing a garland of marigolds and cinnabar paste on its hump and horns—ceremonial signs. hinduism Prayer before the event.
The bull charged out, but instead of running straight down the corridor, it charged at the men, who scrambled onto the barricade and cowered on the ground near the edge.
The bull kept its head down and continued charging, kicking several people as it ran by. One competitor took advantage of the opportunity, jumping on the distracted bull and grabbing its hump, causing the bull to turn and run down the track, to loud cheers from the crowd.
This is Jallikattu, a centuries-old tradition in which male participants display courage and skill. Prizes include dishes, mattresses, chairs, bicycles and even a car. But these awards mean little to the champions who crave respect and admiration within their village and beyond.
Manikanda Prabhu, popularly known as Mudakathan Mani, is one such champion. Between 1996 and 2023, he claimed to have won around 4,000 matches in Tamil Nadu. The contestant wins if he can catch the bull in three jumps or hold the bull for 30 seconds or 15 meters (49 feet).
“I have been passionate about it since I was a child and traveled across the state to participate in Jallikattu events,” he says, sitting in his small office near Madurai.
He is surrounded by trophies he has won over the years and even a framed honorary doctorate from the virtual university. The scars on his body from years of playing are not visible.
“I now own bulls and train young people in the sport,” he laughs.
Siva Swamy is a construction worker who has been participating in the competition for 13 years and has won many times.
“I’m a different person when I compete. The adrenaline takes over and makes me feel like a warrior in the arena. pain Injuries don’t stop me,” he said.
“It’s a family tradition and I’m happy to be able to carry it forward. I hope to be remembered as a famous champion and be a source of pride for our village,” he added.
Animal rights activists called it a cruel practice and successfully petitioned to ban it in India in 2014. Supreme Court. But following protests in Tamil Nadu, new legislation in 2017 excluded the activity from animal cruelty laws.
Unlike similar traditional events in Pamplona, Spain, the bulls are not harmed after the event but are instead treated with care in order to prepare them for future events.