Bulls protected in Jallikattu, now ensure safety of people
As a 19-year-old spectator was gored to death by a raging bull during Jallikattu celebrations in Tamil Nadu’s Madurai and two more were trampled in Sivaganga, the controversy over culture preservation versus bloodsport has risen again. The accidental charge happened despite a double barricade separating the bull-taming arena from the visitors’ gallery. Truth be told, while the debate on animal cruelty led to formulation of regulations under the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Conduct of Jallikattu) Rules, 2017, scant attention has been paid to the safety of participants and spectators in this important cultural tradition. The good news is that this year the festival went ahead with the animal welfare board reviewing the health status of participating bulls, ensuring they were not primed for aggression through external stimulus, and even ticking off players who did not adhere to the rule of not taking the bull by the horn or tail but just the rump.
But crowd management in a risky sport clearly demands meticulous execution and planning. The administration claims that there were as many minders for the bulls, in this case 1200. But no numbers are enough for reining the bulls in when aggression gets the better of them and they tend to dart forward with extreme force. Therefore, one must look into building sturdy enclosures before bulls are released. Third, there should be a mob control and stampede prevention mechanism while laying out viewing galleries. Often visitors get pulled into the crammed momentum because they are too close to the action and get injured by crowds attempting to flee. There should be “golden hour” privileges for the injured with mobile medical units in place. Extreme sports require extreme safety measures rather than expensive trophies for political point-scoring. Chief Minister E Palaniswami offered brand new cars as gifts for the best performers, all emblazoned with Amma stickers. This posturing was clearly aimed at reminding people that he had overturned the ban on Jallikattu, and by extension restored Tamil pride and honour. Newly-elected rival MlA TTV Dhinakaran outdid him by offering free tickets to Singapore while DMK doled out gold rings.
With corporates sponsoring what has become a popular culture highlight in the State, organisers should also spare resources for a more disciplined and organised arena space and prevent accidents. The rodeo in the US and bullfights in Spain are national cultural parades, and Jallikattu is no less, but the former are known to adhere to strict standards. The virtues of Jallikattu in identifying superior bull breeds for mating and gene preservation, saving cheaper native breeds from the imported colonisation by Jersey cows and ensuring the healthy continuity of the livestock sector are now also widely accepted. Spectator regulation and management, however, should be an area of continuing focus for Jallikattu organisers.