Jallikattu 2018: Aadhaar Registration Mandatory For Bull Tamers To Register For The Event

Madurai, January 12: Aadhaar registration has now been made mandatory for all bull tamers to be a part of Jallikattu celebrations across in Tamil Nadu. The Madurai district administration on Thursday made the 12-digit unique identification number registration mandatory for bull tamers who wished would participate in the annually organised festival of the Jallikattu celebrations.

According to reports by ANI, this new order has not gone down well with locals. Also, the district administration believes that the move will help it in managing large crowds at the celebrations in an efficient manner and will also put a check on illegal elements too. Nearly 1,000 bull tamers and 3,000 bulls are expected to participate in Jallikattu this year. Jallikattu will be held in various parts of Tamil Nadu from January 14 to 16.

Jallikattu festival has got its name from the words ‘calli’ (coins) and ‘kattu’ (tie), which means a bundle of coins is tied to the bull’s horns. During ancient time, the tamer sought to remove this bundle from the animal’s head to win gold or silver and would then be called ‘brave’ and ‘valourous’.

Jallikattu is typically practised in Tamil Nadu as a part of Pongal celebrations on Mattu Pongal day, which occurs annually in the month of January. It is a traditional spectacle in which a bull is being released into a crowd of people. Multiple human participants attempt to grab the large hump on the bull's back with both arms and hang on to it while the bull attempts to escape. During the event, participants hold the hump for as long as possible, attempting to bring the bull to a stop. In some cases, participants must ride long enough to remove flags on the bull's horns.

In 2017, the Tamil Nadu government promulgated an ordinance allowing the sport to be practised. The Supreme Court had banned the sport in 2014. The southern state witnessed pro-Jallikattu protests on an unprecedented scale last year. People across the nation debated about the issue while Tamil Nadu government, represented by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, argued that 80% of the population of Tamil Nadu support Jallikattu and the sport had strongholds in the rural parts. The Supreme Court in December 2017 had said a Constitution Bench would examine if the people of Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra can conserve Jallikattu and bullock cart races as their cultural right and demand their protection under Article 29 (1) of the Constitution.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 12, 2018 06:52 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).