Tamil Nadu: Villagers celebrate centuries-old fishing festival at Kallandhiri village

MADURAI(Tamil Nadu): In a vibrant display of tradition and devotion, people from different adjoining villages gathered at the Kallandhiri village near Melur on Saturday to celebrate the centuries-old fishing festival.

According to the rituals, the fish caught by the villagers are offered to the deity for better harvest and health. The festival is celebrated every year with the onset of the summer season.

Meanwhile, as part of the annual festival of Sri Pidari Amman Temple in Thiruvarankulam near Pudukkottai, a spectacular Jallikattu event was organised on Friday, drawing massive crowds and enthusiastic participants.

The event saw the participation of 750 bulls and 300 tamers from various districts across Tamil Nadu.

The event, held with great fervor, showcased the bravery and skill of the participants as they attempted to hold on to the humps of the charging bulls. The spectators cheered loudly as the bulls, adorned with colourful decorations, displayed their strength and agility.

#WATCH | Madurai, Tamil Nadu: A large number of people from five villages near Melur gathered at the Kallandhiri village to celebrate the centuries-old traditional fishing festival.

The fish caught by the villagers are offered to the deity for better harvest and health. The… pic.twitter.com/A51gDwO16M

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Jallikattu, a symbol of Tamil heritage, continues to be a major attraction during the Pongal season and temple festivals.

The bull-taming event is an ancient sport played as part of the harvest festival, Pongal, in several parts of Tamil Nadu. It is a traditional event in which a bull is released into a crowd of people, and multiple human participants attempt to grab the large hump on the bull’s back to tame it.

In January this year, the world-renowned three-day Jallikattu event in Tamil Nadu’s Madurai kicked off with Avaniyapuram village holding its first-day event, which features 1,100 bulls and 900 bull-tamers.

The best bull was awarded a tractor worth Rs 11 lakhs, while the best bull-tamer received a car worth Rs 8 lakhs, alongside other prizes. The other two Jallikattu events in Madurai were held at Palamedu and Alanganallur. (ANI)