Jallikattu event in Tamil Nadu's Madurai begins; 1,100 bulls, 900 tamers in fray

Madurai: The world-renowned three-day Jallikattu event in Tamil Nadu's Madurai kicked off on Tuesday, with Avaniyapuram village holding its first-day event which features 1,100 bulls and 900 bull-tamers.
The best bull will be awarded a tractor worth Rs 11 lakhs, while the best bull-tamer will receive a car worth Rs 8 lakhs, alongside other prizes. The other two Jallikattu events in Madurai will be held at Palamedu and Alanganallur on January 15 and January 16 respectively.
Strict rules and security measures are in place for the conduct of the events.
According to the directions issued by the Madurai district administration, each bull can participate only in one of the three jallikattu competitions in the district. Each bull can be accompanied only by its owner and a trainer familiar with the bull.
Bull tamers and owners of the bulls needed to register through the official district administration website, "madurai.nic.in".
All submitted documents were verified by the authorities. Only those deemed eligible have received a downloadable token, which is mandatory for participation. Without this token, neither bull tamers nor bulls are permitted to enter the event.
The Jallikattu events of Madurai, particularly those in Alanganallur, are internationally recognized as a vibrant celebration of Tamil heritage and rural valour. With preparations in full swing and expectations running high, this year's competitions are set to attract significant participation and global attention.
The first Jallikattu event of Tamil Nadu for 2025 was held on Saturday at Thachankurichi village in Pudukkottai district.
Pudukkottai district is known for having the highest number of vadivasal (entry points for bulls) and hosting the most Jallikattu events in Tamil Nadu. Between January and May 31, over 120 Jallikattu events, more than 30 bullock cart races, and over 50 vadamadu (tethered bull) events are typically conducted in the district.
Jallikattu is an age-old bull-taming event celebrated mostly in Tamil Nadu as part of Pongal celebrations.
In Jallikattu, a bull is released into a crowd of people, and participants in the event try to grab the large hump on the bull's back, attempting to bring the bull to a stop.
The history of Jallikattu dates back to 400-100 BCE, when the Ayars, an ethnic group in India, played it. The name is coined from two words: Jalli (silver and gold coins) and Kattu (tied).