AN APPEAL TO ALLOW JALLI KATTU (BULL-VAULTING)

A TRADITIONAL SPORT OF TAMIL NADU, INDIA

The sport of Jallikattu (Bull vaulting) part of the annual Pongal
(harvest festival) of Tamil Nadu is a celebration of livestock,
the farmers main support system. There are a number of
indigenous breeds like Puliakulam, Malai Maadu,
Umbalachery, Kangayam, Alambadi and Barugur bulls which
are fast disappearing. The bull-vaulters are mostly farmhands,
in peak physical condition and with electric swift reflexes.
Jallikattu is a celebration of such Indian breeds of cattle.
Jallikattu is symbolic of the intimate bond between cattle and
agriculturalists. The fourth day of the Pongal festival is geared
towards livestock. The animals are bathed, scrubbed and their
horns painted. The sport consists of holding on to the hump of
the bull and running along with it for a given distance usually
about 20-30 meters which is covered in barely 10-20 seconds.
During Jalli Kattu, the bulls are not harmed, or tormented.
Unlike the Spanish sport, there is NO fighting the bull at all. In
fact one of the main rules of Jallikattu is that even one drop of
the blood of the ox cannot be spilt which is strictly followed by
the organizers.
Ancient Heritage-our culture
Jallikattu is an ancient sport. The seals of the Indus Valley
Civilization depict this sport which is proof that this sport was
in vogue 5000 years ago. Standard texts on Indus civilization
provide this information. Ancient Tamil poetry, known as
Sangam literature (2nd BCE 2nd CE), has many detailed
references to this sport. It was called Eru Thazhuvuthal
(hugging the bull). See Kalithokai, Sangam Literature. In an
ancient Tamil text called Tirukkural, education is considered to
be wealth and the word used for wealth is Madu, meaning
cattle. So it has a socio-cultural connotation which denotes
lives and livestock having co-existed and cultures having
coined usages around them.
These are concrete evidences to prove that this has been part
of the long Heritage of our country. One strong characteristic

of life in India is the persistence of certain social institutions,

the origins of which are lost in pre-history. Though the profile
of these practices change, they retain their essential features.
Jalli Kattu is one such precious heritage that has been
preserved over millennia and our duty is to take this forward.
Of course we should have rules and restrictions for the
conduct of the event but Jalli Kattu should go on.
Biological Conventions
According to principles 1, 2 & 3 of the Convention on
Biological Diversity (CBD) to which India is a signatory states,
Livestock Keepers are creators of breeds and custodians of
animal genetic resources for food and agriculture; Livestock
Keepers and the sustainable use of traditional breeds are
dependent on the conservation of their respective
ecosystems; Traditional breeds represent collective property,
products of indigenous knowledge and cultural expression of
Livestock Keepers.
Our Appeal
Invoking legal status of nations signatory to Convention on
Biological Diversity and Heritage status nations worldwide
practices, it is customary that these ancient traditional
practices are left as they are but with rules to organize them.
If this sport is banned, livestock keepers will be forced to
abandon the raising of native livestock, which already stand
threatened due to extensive use of motor pumps, tractors and
mechanized agriculture. If the sport is banned it would be a
death knell on the native species. There are many such
intangible threats that dictate the continuation of the livestock.
People who want a ban on this are unfortunately far removed
from village life and do not know how this chain works. They
are rather not only cut off from these realities but also see this
event in isolation from the chain. It is imperative to educate
them to understand the significance.
It is in our sincere attempt to save the traditional breeds from
disappearing, we appeal to you to kindly consider our request
to not ban the event and allow this traditional practice. The
summary is as follows: 1. The Convention on Biological

Diversity (CBD) supports traditional practices to keep the

chain intact and thus enables conservation of native breeds 2.
As an ancient nation and an ancient practice this is our
Heritage and should be seen as one and hence we should to
preserve it 3. There is no torture of any animal of any sort and
the evidence of which can be seen from live telecast made by
media. The time a bull engaged in the sport is less than 30
seconds. 4. Rules can be implemented for safety of animals
and men if required 5. We have lost many breeds and we
cant afford to lose any further. It will be a loss to the Nation
otherwise.
Annexure 1/2
What is Jallikattu?
The term Jallikattu means tying the coin. In the olden days a gold
coin, wrapped in a piece of cloth was tied to the horns and the
tackler, hung on to the hump of the bull and untied the knot to get
at the prize. Now a token cloth is tied in the horns which the tackler
collects as a trophy. The focal point of the event is vaadivasal, the
entrance. The bulls are let through this entrance, into the track,
where the bull-vaulters wait. The track is usually the main street of
the village, with the side lanes blocked. The event begins with the
visit of village elders, led by a band drummer, to the temple of the
village deity. It is part of the culture of Village deities of Tamil Nadu
which does not have a priestly class and is egalitarian. Today,
highly educated modern youngsters from these villages are
involved in the sport.
Indispensability of Native Breeds- Cattle as Wealth Native cattle
have evolved over millennia adapting to the local environmental
conditions. They are an integral part of farming especially for small
and marginal farmers as they serve multiple purposes like
ploughing, transportation, source for farmyard manure, organic
treatments like Panchagavya, Jeevamritham, and source of A2
milk. The native cattle are both an input as well as insurance to the
livestock keepers. In ancient Tamil and Sanskrit literature cattle is
considered as wealth. Cattle was measured as a unit of wealth. In
an ancient Tamil text called Tirukkural, education is considered to
be wealth and the word used for wealth is Madu, meaning cattle.
So it has a socio-cultural connotation which denotes lives and
livestock having co-existed and cultures having coined usages

around them.
What it (Jallikattu) is not?
In Spain during their traditional bull fight, the bull is baited, tortured
and killed at the end. On the other hand Jallikattu is not a sport
where bulls are tortured or subjected to insult. Rather they are
treated with reverence and raised with pride.

Biological Conventions-legal aspects

According to principles 1, 2 & 3 of the Convention on
Biological Diversity (CBD) to which India is a signatory, further
states the following as rights for a livestock keeper: Article 8 (j)
of the CBD: Contracting parties shallsubject to national
legislation, respect, preserve and maintain knowledge
innovations and practices of indigenous and local
communities embodying traditional lifestyles relevant for the
conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity
Annexure 2/2
Article 10(c) of the CBD - customary use of biological
resources is protected and encouraged in accordance with
traditional cultural practices that are compatible with
conservation and sustainable use requirements..
Chapter 15(4)(g) of Agenda 21 calls on governments at the
appropriate levelto recognize and foster the traditional
methods and knowledge of indigenous people and their
communities, relevant to the conservation of biological
diversity and the sustainable use of biological resources.
Chapter 15(5)(e) of Agenda 21:
Governments should subject to national legislation, take
action to respect, record, protect and promote the wider
application of the knowledge, innovations and practices of
indigenous and local communities embodying traditional
lifestyles for the conservation of biological diversity and the
sustainable use of biological resources

(Please note that India being a signatory to CBD, has enacted

the Biodiversity Act 2002.)