Jallikattu 2024: 12,000+ bulls, 4,500 bull tamers enlist to compete at 3-day mega festival in Tamil Nadu

Ahead of the much-anticipated Jallikattu competitions in Madurai, a consultative meeting took place at the Madurai District Collectorate, led by State Minister Moorthy on Thursday. The minister revealed key details during a media address, stating, "Jallikattu events are scheduled at Avaniyapuram on January 15, Palamedu on January 16, and the renowned Alanganallur on the 17th."

Adding excitement to the competitions, the minister announced that the best bull and bull-tamer in each event stand a chance to win a car. A substantial number of participants, with 12,176 bulls and 4,514 bull tamers enrolled online across the state, are set to compete. However, strict scrutiny will be applied, with rejection criteria for double entries and incomplete documentation.

The registration statistics are as follows: 2,400 bulls and 1,318 tamers for Avaniapuram Jallikattu, 3,677 bulls and 1,412 tamers for Palamedu Jallikattu, and 6,099 bulls and 1,784 tamers for the Alanganallur event.


In a noteworthy development, Sri Lanka recently hosted its first Jallikattu event in Triconmalee on January 6, with participation from the Eastern Province Governor Senthil Thondaman and Malaysia's Member of Parliament Saravanan Murugan.

Jallikattu, a traditional bull-embracing sport in Tamil Nadu, is an integral part of the Pongal harvest festival celebrated in the second week of January. In 2014, the Supreme Court imposed a ban on Jallikattu, but in 2017, the Tamil Nadu government passed an ordinance allowing the event, incorporating safety regulations for participants and bulls.

Following widespread protests against the ban, the Supreme Court in India, in May 2023, upheld the Tamil Nadu government's law, permitting the bull-taming sport 'Jallikattu' in the state. A five-judge Constitution bench addressed challenges to the laws of Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra regarding Jallikattu and bullock cart races. The Tamil Nadu government defended the event, emphasizing its cultural significance and asserting no cruelty towards the bulls involved in the competitions.