Traditional bull-taming sport draws crowds to Sanambatla despite ban

Tirupati: Defying the police ban, this year's first traditional bull-taming event, called Pasuvula Panduga, was held in Sanambatla village in Tirupati's Chandragiri mandal on Monday.

The controversial event attracted over 5,000 spectators, who lined up on the streets to watch young men compete with bulls.

Despite concerns raised by the police about safety risks to both bulls and participants, support from the political leaders has fuelled the continued popularity of bull-taming events in Sanambatla and several other villages across Tirupati and Chittoor.

Monday’s event saw party flags and posters of Tollywood heroes adorning the bulls. Young participants engaged in daring attempts to subdue the powerful animals, resulting in several injuries.

Injuries notwithstanding, the allure of the event attracted not only the residents of Chandragiri but also youths from neighbouring areas who flocked to witness the spectacle.

While Pasuvula Panduga is typically held on the third day of Sankranti in Sanambatla, it took place on New Year’s Day setting the tone for upcoming events this month.

Similar preparations are underway in several villages, planning their own versions of the controversial event in the coming weeks.

Pasuvula Panduga, seen by some as an offshoot of Tamil Nadu’s ‘Jallikattu’, has been held in several villages in the erstwhile Chittoor district for over 150 years.

Animal activists have long decried these events as exploitative and risky for both humans and bulls. However, villagers aim to keep their traditions alive. For most in Sanambatla, it was a welcome New Year’s celebration.