Jallikattu is a traditional spectacle where a bull is set free among a gathering of individuals, and numerous participants strive to seize the hump on the bull’s back with both arms, endeavoring to cling to it while the bull tries to break free. Participants aim to grasp the hump for an extended period, endeavoring to halt the bull. This traditional activity serves as a display of pride and valor for both the bulls and their tamers.
However, this year the Jallikattu event held in Palamedu village on 16 January 2024, has become controversial due to caste-related issues. Despite a Madras High Court directive and the order of the Madurai district collector, a bull raised by a Dalit hamlet was not permitted to participate in the renowned Palamedu Jallikattu. Palamedu has a century-long history of conducting Jallikattu, second only to Allanganallur.
Madras High Court’s Madurai Bench recently addressed a public interest litigation petition filed by C. Selvakumar from Madurai. The petitioner sought a directive for the authorities to regulate jallikattu events by establishing conditions and ensuring that the caste names of bull owners were not mentioned during the events, in accordance with a 2019 High Court order. The court has instructed the state to guarantee that the caste names of bull owners are not referenced during jallikattu events and has dismissed the petition.
The Palamedu Madathu Committee, representing all communities in the village, traditionally conducts the sport. Before the event begins, temple bulls from around Palamedu are released from the “Vadivasal,” the place where bulls are released into the arena. These temple bulls are not tamed or touched by participants, and it is believed that releasing them brings rain to the village. Each community raises a bull on behalf of their deity.
Unfortunately, the bull raised by the Paraiyar community has been consistently barred from participating in the customary releasing event of Jallikattu for several years. Upon the ban of their temple bull, the villagers approached the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court seeking directions to allow the bull to participate.
A division bench instructed the district collector to consider the petitioner’s plea and issue orders in accordance with the law. Subsequently, the Madurai District Collector convened a peace meeting between the village committee and the SC representatives, directing the Jallikattu organizing committee to allow the temple bull and issuing orders in line with his decision.
In a recent interview to IBC Tamil YouTube channel a resident from Palamedu spoke about the caste issue strongly vested in Jallikattu despite High Court orders.
He said “Palamedu Parayar Uravin Murai Sangam that is Ambedkar Uravin Murai Organization… particularly parayar community people..Today, after 2017, government is conducting the Palamedu Jalikattu event. If we see who has the right to conduct Jalikattu is the collector who is the head and has the power to form an organizing committee. He has the power and responsibility to form but instead, they are recognizing the Madathu Committee (Local Committee) as Organising Committee.. They are only releasing 7 temple bulls, there are 22 castes here. If we consider equal rights, it will be there when 22 bulls are unleashed. Then only it becomes Mariyadhai Maadu (Respected Bulls – They are temple bulls unleashed under the name of temple which is not for sport)”
He further said “Even in the organizing committee they are not allowing every caste to participate. Just calling on stage to adorn shawl. They are not seeing that every caste is represented in the organizing committee instead they covert the private Madathu Committee into the organization. This is completely wrong. Instead of accepting completely, the collector should recognize everyone into the committee. Only 7 bulls are released as Mariyadhai Madu. To participate we are fighting for 20 years and are still fighting for it.”
Going on narrating the manipulation he said “What they’ve done this year was.. Last year, based on the direction of the High Court collector issued an order. When one person went there it became a tussle with the police, so they said openly ‘We will call you only on stage, but will not let release your bulls’”
He said that they threatened them “7 caste of madathu committee said ‘you Paraiyars bull will not be unleashed even if CM comes here’. We have video footage for that. Such atrocities happen particularly against Paraiyar in government-organized Palamedu Jallikattu, they are neglecting us” he added
Despite approaching DMK Minister P. Moorthy, who hails from Madurai they found that he, too, showed no interest in resolving the issue and neglected their concerns “Last year we saw Minister Moorthy 100 times regarding this. He said now and then but Minister Moorthy has not done anything regarding this. No one has accepted us in the organizing committee. If Minister Moorthy decides he can do, but refuses to do so. Particularly in the west constituency, there are 50000 Paraiyars he won by getting the vote from us even for that he did not show any courtesy I’m stating this openly.” he said
He also stated this practice was against influential people too “In 2006 they said not to bring Thirumavalavan to the village but the Paraiyar community brought him. Because of disrespecting the decision by bringing him, they did not give respect to the bulls”
“Last year we fought through the law and got directions for respecting the bulls but here ministers are not willing to implement, Collector is also not willing to implement, DRO, RDO, and Police, are not ready to implement government or laws directive.
He asserted the power of local influence as “Here Madathu Committee is the government, there is no government here”.
While the reporter was asking about the bull he replied “This bull belongs to Parayar Uravin Murai named Paarai Karupu Samy Madu, the community here collectively invests to make somehow 8th respected bull… fight is not for 1 or 2 years it’s for 20 years. We will not leave this protest we will protest for years as it takes. Next year they can’t divert us, next year by law we will win, at least next year the minister and police should implement the direction, last year they did not implement, If next year too they do not implement, our protest will be vigorous.”
“We got orders to participate here it is … DRO and RDO said.. Including collector by word directive ‘after unleashing 7 Karai Bulls, your bull will be the 1st bull to be unleashed in the event’ and all. To divert us and not to protest, the police came at 3 AM here and said let’s bring the bull. We brought the bull around 4:30 AM to 5:30 AM. Should he not take the bull to the front side? Instead, he took it to the backside of Vaadi. Further said all bulls have come whatever you do only you shall unleash as 50th bull. Is this protest for releasing the bull as 50th? We protested as this village’s indigenous people to unleash as 8th one. We did not ask for 1st respect, 2nd respect, 5th or 7th respect.. I’m asking after all bulls are unleashed, this village’s respected bull be released. What is there in that?” He asked devastatingly
As a resident, he raised queries and sought clarification “The government is spending money; it has spent 38 lakhs on palamedu. On whose tax money? I’m paying for corporation right? There are 100-150 families paying corporation tax, water tax, and whatever the taxes are there, we pay to the government. Why in a government-organized event you are not giving the right to all 22 castes to unleash their bulls?”
He finally requested interference from the government “Is it not sanathanam?.. Palamedu is the biggest sanathanam village… Atleast next year, the chief minister and Minister Moorthy should give rights to all 22 castes to release their bulls and I place this demand on behalf of Paraiyar Uravin Murai and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi”
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