Bulls and tamers get their act together

Top jallikattu bull Vettiyan undergoes rigorous training in Madurai as tamers prepare for upcoming events with dedication.

He is well built and has a sharp sculpted physique. Though tightly tied to two poles, he stands with an arrogance that only those bulls that are aware of their mean strength can muster. Vettiyan, is a top notch jallikattu bull from the stable of P.R. Rajasekaran, president of Jallikattu Peravai in Madurai. Though Vettiyan has been undergoing his routine exercise daily and is quite oblivious to the charged atmosphere in the farm as the major jallikattu events in Madurai are nearing, his handlers are an excited lot.

In the soft glow of the morning sun, Vettiyan can see the inviting placid waters of the village pond shimmering just a few steps from where he is tied. As the handlers come to untie him and lead him to the water for his swimming exercise, his nostrils flare and muscles quiver.

Once untied, he rears and it’s a mad dash straight to the water dragging along one of the handlers. Once in the water, Vettiyan takes the lap at his own pace. There is no flaying of limbs and Vettiyan turns into an elegant swimmer. The only sound that can be heard is the comforting splash of water, and the snorts of a bull   enjoying his swim. The handler too cruises along powered by the bull’s strength, holding on to the quivering hump.

After a few laps, Vettiyan emerges from the water and the handlers jump to take the ropes as he violently shakes his head and heaves to the shore. Later, he is taken for a long walk, for a few kilometres atleast, and then tied near a mound of earth where he ploughs into it to strengthen his neck.

In villages around Madurai, the buzz begins months before Pongal. The bulls are put through their paces as owners take them to events like erudhukattu, vadam, velivrattu and manjuvirattu, which are all some forms of jallikattu conducted in the region. During these pre-events, not just the bulls are trained but also the tamers, who get their fair share of action and training.

Vijay, who is just 18, took part in the recently held manjuvirattu near Kodimangalam. Though he won’t be participating in any of the major jallikattu events, he says he took part in the manjuvirattu to get experience. “It will help me next year as I plan to take part in Palamedu jallikattu,” he adds.

Muthukumar of Idiayapatti has bagged a number of awards as a tamer. As he gears up for this year’s jallikattu, he has begun a 15-day vow abstaining from non-vegetarian food. “Jallikattu is a sacred game for us. We do running practice and also spar with the animals we rear so as to give us the much-needed agility in the arena,” he says as he lovingly pats Karuppu, his prized bull that he has been rearing for about six years.