TIRUPATI: Many villages in Chittoor region are getting ready for the traditional bull-taming sport -- a cultural variant of Tamil Nadu’s Jallikattu – locally known as Goppa Mylaru Panduga or Pasuvula Panduga. Some villages have already held the event while it normally happens on the third day of the Sankranti festival.
Though the police have imposed a ban on the bull-taming sport or bull-race by citing the danger it posed to bulls and the tamers, preparations are in full swing in several villages with able backing from local politicians.
Usually, the Pasuvula Panduga or cattle festival takes place on the third day of Sankranti festival. However, this time it was held two weeks before Sankranti by the people of Buttireddy Kandriga in Vadamalapet mandal and Patha Sanambatla village in Chandragiri mandal. Sanambatla and Nuthiguntapalle villages have hosted bull-races in the past two weeks. Several people were injured when they tried taming the bulls.
Chittoor district’s Pasuvula Panduga has been in vogue for the past 150 years. This sport involves the chasing of bulls and cows, which were made to run amok through a narrow passage, while people lined up on both sides compete with each other and chase the cattle to snatch trophies tied to their horns.
While the organisers claim this cattle festival is an inferior version of Tamil Nadu’s Jallikattu and not aimed at hurting cattle, but only to revere them. The sport was being held in the erstwhile district on a par with that of Tamil Nadu for the past few years. Animal lovers allege cattle are being fed with alcohol and other intoxicants to prepare them for the bull-race.
DIG Ravi Prakash issued instructions to all police districts under Anantapur range on Tuesday, asking them to keep vigil and take strict measures to prevent indulgences like Jallikattu, cockfighting and gambling. Police would hold meetings with village elders to thwart such situations.
The DIG directed all DSPs to arrange pickets in areas where cockfights and Jallikattu are likely to take place. He also asked them to detain persons who faced cases related to cockfights and Jallikattu in the past. "Police Act 30 is in force in all subdivisions of the range and any violation to the code will lead to severe action,” he said.
The cattle festival organised last year in villages like Ramireddygaripalle, Pullaiahgaripalli, Adusipalle, Rangampet, Baireddipalle etc in Chandragiri, Kuppam, Palamaner areas caused injuries to nearly 30 persons.
