The politics & lawmaking of Jalikattu Part III – by Prakash Sasha

Jallikattu: An event of barbaric animal cruelty.
Report – 1

by Prakash Sasha
Jan 2012

Introduction:

Various rules, regulations & law about Jallikattu were formed in the recent years.  Primary focus of all these governing rules, law etc was about regulating the arena were the bull faces the matadors.

Cruelty Stage 3: Arena: Avaniapuram: Bull's left horn broken in Jallikattu

This report apart from discussing cruelty in the arena, brings to light some other key stages were unimaginable animal cruelty exits in Jallikattu and is ignored.

Photos from three Jallikattu events (Avaniapuram 15th  Jan 2012,   Alanganallur 17th Jan 2012 and Palamedu 16th Jan 2012) which convey cruelty at various stages are presented in this report.

Stages of Jallikattu:

• Stage-1:  Hundreds of bulls stand in squeezed queue to enter the arena
• Stage-2:  Animals enter in to the arena using the enclosed entry gate called Vaadi Vasal
• Stage-3:  Arena where the bulls face the matadors
• Stage-4: Arena end point where the bulls are chased by owners of bull and the public

Ignored Cruelty in Stage – 1:  Bull waiting in queue to enter arena:

• The number of bulls registered for each Jallikattu event goes to several hundred ( between 400 to 500 bulls) causing a complete chaos in the waiting area with several animals squeezed for space The animals stand in such packed queues in blistering heat for several hours the whole day without fodder or water.
• The nose rope is continuously dragged to control the bull which leads pain and bleeding wounds.
• Many animals are forced to walk for several kilo meters till the place where the event is conducted and then immediately dumped in the queue.

Ignored Cruelty in Stage – 2:  Bull entry point in to the arena:

• Cruelty level increase manifold in this point which is an enclosed area where only one bull can stand and it’s a one way mode. Once bulls enter this enclosure then they cannot return back as the gates are closed.
• Bulls on seeing the crowd of matadors refuse to enter the arena and try to return back to the waiting area. Bulls are brutally hit with sticks and with hand to force them in to the arena
• Their tails are squeezed and bent to force them in to the arena
• Even police men are involved in this process of hitting the animal at entry point (or) they stand as mere spectators without taking any action on violators of the law.

Cruelty in Stage – 3:  Arena:

• Bulls are controlled by too many matadors jumping on them
• Bulls neck is twisted
• Bulls head is thrashed on the floor
• Injured bulls are forced to participate in Jallikattu
• Bulls without horns are forced to participate
• Some short & tiny breeds of bulls that cannot resist the mob of matadors are forced to participate.
• Weak dehydrated bulls are forced to participate

Ignored Cruelty in Stage – 4:  End Point (after crossing the arena):

• Bulls are chased by owners as well as public on un-fenced roads
• Huge mob of public beat the animal when it runs for its life
• Crowd screams in high volume increasing the fear of the animal
• There is no clear guiding path for the bull to follow and settle down
• All the above points results in animal hitting vehicles on the road , falling down on the rough tar road , jumping in to crowd to escape,  falling from a high raised platform, hitting the barricades. While running accidentally hitting and injuring adults as well as children standing on the road.

Problems related to infrastructure and venue

Avaniapuram (Madurai District) :

• This place is NOT suitable for conducting Jallikattu as it is part of crowded city with houses and shops jam packed.
• There is no proper area where the bull can settle down after crossing the arena
• This venue is high risk zone as the bull is forced to run in the crowded street of the city leading to injury to general public as well as bulls
• Multiple roads branch at this end point leading to confusion among bulls on which way to run for their life,  finally bulls end up falling, hitting barricades, shops , vehicles, people etc.

Palamedu (Madurai District):

• Police personnel sit in a tractor inside arena near the entry point leading to serious danger to animal as the bulls hit the tractor ( please refer the sketch )
• A concrete lamp post is very close to the entry point which poses a huge danger to animals that run & jump to escape from matadors
• The end point after arena has three roads branching which in turn confuses the animal and leads to animal running and falling on the road.
• There is an open river bed without fencing leading to animals jumping from an 8 foot wall in to the river bed to escape.

Alanganallur (Madurai District):

• The entry point and the running path are at 90 degree angle leading to a confusion for the bull on which way to run and finally bull hits the fence opposite to the entry point
• Police personnel sit in a tractor inside arena near the entry point leading to serious danger to animal as the bulls hit the tractor.

Conclusion:

• The animal cruelty depicted in this report is only a minor sample. If anyone visits the place where the actual Jallikattu event happens they will definitely realize the cruelty is 100 times more than what is presented here.
• Jallikattu is an event which involves several hundreds of bulls and thousands of people that cannot be regulated (or) controlled in any manner.
• Any form of law or rules or regulation are not enforced in the field level and the mob is uncontrollable at the field
• The complexity of the event is so high that bringing in any positive change by providing certain guidelines or rules finally will be in vain (as it is witnessed for the past few years)
• We pray that the honorable court considering all the facts presented in this report,   bring in a complete BAN on this cruel Jallikattu that puts people as well as animals life in to risk and subjects animals to enormous cruelty violating the “Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act”.