Jallikattu at Pongal: Centuries-Old Bull Festival in Tamil Nadu Draws Crowds Despite Protests

Hours before dawn in Avaniyapuram, Tamil Nadu, villagers gather to celebrate Pongal, the annual harvest festival. Long makeshift stands line a barricaded run while others climb rooftops to watch as bare‑footed contestants attempt to hold or ride bulls that burst through a narrow gate.

Tradition and Spectacle

At one end of the lane, dozens of men in brightly colored, numbered shirts press forward, climbing on one another to peer through a slim opening. When a heavy bull suddenly leaps into view, the crowd erupts. Competitors lunge, vault and sometimes tumble in attempts to grip the animal’s hump. Success is rare and brief, but a single rider clinging on as the bull spins and charges can send the crowd into thunderous cheers.

Rituals, Rewards and Rules

The bulls are often decorated with marigold garlands and smeared with vermilion — marks of a ritual blessing performed before the event. Prizes range from household utensils, mattresses and chairs to bicycles and even a car. Yet many winners prize social honor and village esteem above material rewards. A contestant is declared a winner if he holds on for three jumps, for 30 seconds, or across a distance of 15 meters (49 feet).

Champions and Competitors

Manikanda Prabhu, popularly known as Mudakathan Mani, is a celebrated champion who says he won roughly 4,000 times across Tamil Nadu between 1996 and 2023. Surrounded by trophies in his modest Madurai office, he also displays an honorary doctorate from a virtual university and bears the scars of years in the arena. "I was passionate about it from a very young age," he said. "I now own bulls and train young men to compete."

Siva Swamy, a construction worker, has competed for 13 years. "I am a different man while competing. Adrenaline takes over and makes me feel like a warrior. Pain and injury don’t deter me," he said, reflecting the personal meaning and family tradition that motivate many participants.

Controversy and Legal Status

Animal-welfare activists have long criticized Jallikattu as cruel. India’s Supreme Court banned the practice in 2014 after legal petitions, but massive protests in Tamil Nadu prompted the state to pass legislation in 2017 exempting Jallikattu from certain animal-cruelty provisions. Supporters argue that bulls are not slaughtered or deliberately harmed after events; instead they are tended to so they remain fit for future participation. Critics counter that the sport still poses risks of injury to both animals and people.

How Jallikattu Differs From Other Bull Events

Unlike the running of the bulls in Pamplona, bulls in Jallikattu are traditionally cared for after the event and returned to training and breeding programs — though debate continues over animal welfare and participant safety.

Whether portrayed as an expression of local pride and agrarian culture or criticized for animal-safety concerns, Jallikattu remains a powerful, contested symbol of tradition in Tamil Nadu.