Jallikattu held in Madurai district 

Chennai: Tamil Nadu's traditional rural sport Jallikattu, bull taming sport, was held at Avaniyapuram in Madurai district on Sunday after a gap of three years.

In Jallikattu, a bull vaulter is expected to hang on to the bull's hump for a stipulated distance or for a minimum of three jumps by the bull. At Avaniyapuram Jallikattu, over 900 bulls and bull tamers participated. Both the bulls and bull tamers were subjected to medical tests before to the event.

Prizes ranging from cycles, cupboards, travel bags and other items were awarded to bull tamers. Similarly, prizes were awarded to the owners of the animals if their bulls wriggled out of the bull tamers' hold.

The event was held with strong police deployment after Tamil Nadu passed a law legalising Jallikattu, replacing the Prevention of cruelty to Animals (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Ordinance, 2017, that was promulgated recently.

The law was passed with the cooperation of the central government following a week-long statewide protest by Tamil Nadu's youths who demanded Jallikattu be allowed. The Supreme Court banned the sport in 2014. Normally, Jallikattu would be held as part of the Pongal festivities in Tamil Nadu. However, it was not held during Pongal this year due to the Supreme Court ban.

--IANS