CHENNAI: Injuries did not seem to deter the tamers who rushed back to the arena to tame the ferocious bulls at the popular bull taming sport - jallikattu - at Palamedu in Madurai on Wednesday. Though the event left 48 men injured and of them 13 admitted to the GRH there, the spirit of the cultural sport was to the fore. As crowds lustily cheered, the tamers displayed their valour.
There was also frequent announcement asking asking the dauntless tamers not to crowd around the bull. A. Prabhu, a bull raiser won the coveted prize, a car, after his bull was adjudged the best among a total of 567 that participated in the sport. Tamers too had their day. S. Prabhakaran of Mettupatti was adjudged the best for successfully taming 10 bulls and he was presented a motorcycle. A large number of bulls that successfully evaded the tamers received the loudest cheers.
About 739 bull-tamers from various parts of Tamil Nadu took part in the Palamedu Jallikattu between 8 am and 4.30 pm. All through the event, the venue had remained packed. Later, briefing reporters Madurai district collector S. Natarajan said 13 men who were injured during the sport were referred to Government Rajaji Hospital. Of them 4 were spectators, 4 bull raisers and remaining 5 were tamers. There were however no major injuries and all those referred to the GRH were out of danger, he added. Totally 48 including those administered first aid sustained injuries.
“This is the first time the event was planned meticulously and conducted successfully,” he said and thanked all who made the event a success, especially the tamers and bull owners. Earlier in the day, AIADMK MLA from Sholavandan, K. Manickam inaugurated jallikattu. Jallikattu organised in Palamedu and Alangan-
-allur are world famous. “We performed puja and left the temple bulls in the venue.
“Thereafter, we began the actual jallikattu where bulls from various parts are left in the venue for taming,” he explained.
