Tamil nadu -#jallikattu

[RPK]

Coimbatore

Thirunalvelli

https://twitter.com/x/status/821425624224935936

Madurai

 

[RPK]

https://twitter.com/x/status/821443185364832257

 

[RPK]

Sydney Aus

 

[Nilgiri]

Do they practice this in Northern Lanka as well ? Never heard of it before @Nilgiri @surya kiran

Its not a Lankan Tamil thing I dont think.

Its home is in the large riverlands of TN (Kaveri, Vaigai + their tributaries). These are the places with much cattle in the first place where it was important for 1000 of years to be able to determine which bulls were the best for breeding etc.

Couple other places in TN like Northern Lanka also do not have much history of it.

 

[RPK]

singapore

London

 

[rott]

Is there a video on how this sport is? Just being curious as to why it is becoming so important to the Tamils.

 

[Nilgiri]

Is there a video on how this sport is? Just being curious as to why it is becoming so important to the Tamils.

 

[rott]

This is like the Spanish running with the bulls.

 

[Nilgiri]

This is like the Spanish running with the bulls.

Yah its very similar.

The concept dates back to being able to breed the best cattle...it is a sport that has very deep background and history...so Tamil people will rightfully resist any effort to curb their long cultural practices...that have many positive socioeconomics beyond just "sport".

There are many much bigger priorities regarding animal rights in India that should be tackled well before...otherwise its quite hypocritical to single jallikattu out before all of them.

 

[rott]

Yah its very similar.

The concept dates back to being able to breed the best cattle...it is a sport that has very deep background and history...so Tamil people will rightfully resist any effort to curb their long cultural practices...that have many positive socioeconomics beyond just "sport".

There are many much bigger priorities regarding animal rights in India that should be tackled well before...otherwise its quite hypocritical to single jallikattu out before all of them.

You are a Tamil too? You support this sport?

 

[I.R.A]

It looks like a manly sport to me, though there are safety concerns but I failed to see the cruelty part?

The human players do they need to be from one religion only or he can be from any religion? And plus this seems it has some religious significance to it, the guy who was explaining in this video named multiple gods. So why exactly ban this?

 

[Nilgiri]

You are a Tamil too? You support this sport?

Yes and Yes.

Part of the reason why cattle in TN are so hardy and resilient compared to most other areas traditionally (before scientific animal husbandry took off in modern India) is through countless years of jallikattu. Also why many of the modern stud Zebu/Brahman breeds for rest of India and even the world trace many times to South India.

It is from this resilience that came a tough indigenous economy (the cattle could survive droughts better and could be reared with many favourable characteristics) and its part of the reason (I think) why Tamils never were part of most of the larger empires in subcontinent when they existed (except when we made our own hehe - Cholas).

It looks like a manly sport to me, though there are safety concerns but I failed to see the cruelty part?

Its called political drama by so called animal welfare people. They got much support from the counter-Tamil culture groups in Indian Lutyens who had much angst for actions of Tamil diversity groups (as part of the undercurrents of earlier separatism, tamil nationalism etc).

There were concerns of course of drugs/alcohol forced on the bulls along with applying chillipowder and such to sensitive areas (to get the bulls more agitated and aggresive etc).. Such things have been known to happen in the past....but that can all be legislated and enforced upon....rather than outright banning....and turning this whole thing into TN vs central govt.

When states like West Bengal and Kerala have no objection to cattle slaughter, and cattle face horrendous conditions during transport across India (and the enforcement is pitiful esp with right bribes and cartel membership), I don't see why such animal sport (where the cattle lives are not taken and are more or less revered) cannot be a state issue. It does not govern human lives put into danger after all...every participant is willing and making their own decisions about their safety etc.

So the answer is only politics.

The human players do they need to be from one religion only or he can be from any religion? And plus this seems it has some religious significance to it, the guy who was explaining in this video named multiple gods. So why exactly ban this?

There are technically many "religions" within Hinduism itself. I don't see why anyone need be excluded on basis of religion. This is more of a cultural thing. For example in Kerala, both Muslims and Christians take part in their major festival "Onam" which is about an ancient king of theirs.

In Jallikattu, as long as you appreciate and respect the harvest festival season (Pongal), I dont think there is any reason to exclude on basis of religion. It is open to all communities I believe.

 

[RPK]

https://twitter.com/x/status/821576261155909632

 

[Gibbs]

Its not a Lankan Tamil thing I dont think.

Its home is in the large riverlands of TN (Kaveri, Vaigai + their tributaries). These are the places with much cattle in the first place where it was important for 1000 of years to be able to determine which bulls were the best for breeding etc.

Couple other places in TN like Northern Lanka also do not have much history of it.

Yep.. That's what a couple of Lankans explained.. There is no history of this custom in Northern parts of the island

Btw I'd agree.. As far as animal cruelty practices go there are far more worse stuff than this.. It does look like running of the bulls rather than a bull fight as I first assumed

It's good that people are standing up for their heritage from outside interference.. Culture has be evolved from inside not from outside impostment

 

[Nilgiri]

Yep.. That's what a couple of Lankans explained.. There is no history of this custom in Northern parts of the island

Btw I'd agree.. As far as animal cruelty practices go there are far more worse stuff than this.. It does look like running of the bulls rather than a bull fight as I first assumed

It's good that people are standing up for their heritage from outside interference.. Culture has be evolved from inside not from outside impostment

There are big protests going on recently in my hometown (Coimbatore) agains the jallikattu ban even though Coimbatore area (western kongu-nadu) does not have much jallikattu history and presence given hilly terrain and non-cattle asset based agriculture for most part (compared to say Kaveri delta).

We are more traditionally influenced by and linked to the Chera dynasty which did not have much jallikattu compared to Pandya and Chola hearths...the agro assets of Chera dominions are generally more cash crop based. Quite probably why Lankan Tamil culture also does not have it, since they for very long periods of time formed their own branch of dynasties and local culture from TN mainland and had much influence from rest of the island...along with the local environment factors and agricultural make up of northern Lanka. Its also the reason why Jallikatu is found in many parts of Southern Andhra Pradesh as well (its not purely a Tamil thing but rather south Indian farming thing where cattle are plentiful).

Thus TN and tamil settled areas are quite diverse in this aspect, but I am glad to see there is much unity in helping the culture of other Tamil areas to be preserved.