Thatchankurichi in Pudukottai district all set to host this year’s first jallikattu in State on January 4

The State’s first jallikattu for 2025 is all set to be held at Thatchankurichi village in Gandarvakottai taluk of the district on Saturday

The State’s first jallikattu for 2025 is all set to be held at Thatchankurichi village in Gandarvakottai taluk of the district on Saturday. The State government issued a notification on January 2 permitting the event.

It is a customary practice to hold the event in connection with the New Year at Thatchankurichi.  The village is geared for the occasion with the organising committee members making elaborate arrangements at the venue. 

The arena has been prepared with double barricades put up along the bull run area. Meshes have been installed in the barricades to prevent onlookers from entering the arena. The vaadivaasal through which the bulls are released one after the other and a stage to accommodate the VIPs and officials have been put up. Separate places have been earmarked for examination of bulls by the veterinary teams.

Medical teams have been allotted another place at the venue to check the physical condition of the participating tamers and to provide first aid to the injured persons. Tamers will be allowed in batches in the arena during the course of the event.

Ambulances would be stationed at the venue to shift the injured referred to hospital. Pudukottai Collector M. Aruna told The Hindu on Friday that the standard operating procedure laid down by the government for conducting the event would be followed. A medical team with an ambulance would be deployed at the bull collection area, the Collector said after inspecting the arrangements at the event venue on Thursday and Friday. 

Nearly 200 to 250 bulls are expected for the event. A senior Animal Husbandry department official said an animal ambulance will be stationed to treat the injured bulls. The participating bulls will be checked for doping by the veterinary teams before being allowed, the official added. 

A posse of over 200 police personnel will be deployed in and around the venue to regulate the movement of vehicles transporting bulls from various districts to Thatchankurichi for the event and to ensure its safe conduct. A member of the jallikattu organising committee of the village said bulls were expected from Pudukottai, Theni, Sivaganga, Madurai, Thanjavur, Tiruchi, and Ariyalur districts.