Pongal 2019: Madurai celebrates Jallikattu

Jallikattu, a traditional bull-taming event, began in Tamil Nadu's Madurai district on Tuesday on the occasion of Pongal.

The excitement was palpable in Madurai's Avaniapuram where the sport was being organised. As per traditions, two bulls were released into the crowd of contestants enclosed within a fence, and each tried to grab the hump of the bull and ride it for as long as possible.

In total, 636 bulls and 500 bull tamers are participating in the event.

As per reports, 13 people were injured on the first day of the event in Pudukkottai district.

Jallikattu is usually held during the harvest festival of Pongal in mid-January.

Various organisations, including the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) had vehemently opposed Jallikattu, stating that it was a cruel event and it should be stopped.

The festival was banned by the Supreme Court in 2014 after complaints of extreme animal cruelty. However, Tamil Nadu enacted a law in 2017 to bypass the top court's verdict, owing to massive protests challenging the ban of the event.