MADURAI: Divyadarshini, a Madurai girl studying in Class 12 with a fearless nature and a love for animals, has kept a Jallikattu Bull as her friend and is training him for the sport.
Even Jallikattu players experience fear and step aside seeing the bull, but Divyadarshini decided to become friendly with it. For the last three years, she has been spending time with the bull and giving him training.
“I am studying in Class 12 and our family has four generations of Jallikattu Bulls,” Divyadarshini said.
Calling the bull a member of her family, she said, “Jallikattu will be held next month. Now we are busy preparing the bull for Jallikattu. At present we are giving fodder to the bull and in the future, we will provide training in walking, swimming and digging mud.”
“My bull is affectionate when he is at home with us but aggressive when he goes to the Jallikattu field. The bull does nothing to the people in the house,” Divyadarshini said, describing the protective nature of the bull.
Ahead of the festival of Pongal, bull trainers in Tamil Nadu’s Madurai are gearing up for Jallikattu.
More than 20 youths from Podumbu village of Madurai district have started training 10 bulls for the competition. Bulls are being given training in walking and swimming.
Jallikattu, also known as ‘Eru Thazhuvuthal’ or ‘Mancuvirattu’, will be held in a couple of weeks.
The process called ‘Mann Kuthal’ also takes place in which bulls are trained to develop their skills by digging their horns in wet earth. Bulls are prepared to attack when someone tries to catch their hump.
Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu government has announced that the Jallikattu competition, the heroic sport of Tamils, will be held as planned during the coming Pongal. So youngsters are training bulls for the sport. (ANI)