Jallikattu 2017

Aparna Krishnan

January 24, 2017

#Jallikattu - Personal picture from my village.

A friend asked me for a clear picture on Jallikattu saying there were too many contradictory versions, and she would be able to trust mine. I will try to summarise my personal understandings again.

1. We have lived in Paalaguttapalle (Dalitwada), Chittoor Dt, AP, for 20 years. Every year in mid January we have Sankranthi, our biggest festival, followed Eddulu Pandaga, when cattle is worshipped and fed special fare. On this day, farmers proudly bring their bulls and run them. Some bulls would have prizes tied on their horns. The youth run after the bulls and try to catch them barehanded, and if they manage to get them to stop, they claim the prize. Our neighbour's sister Babyakka in the next village has a bull that has never been caught year after year, and as in such a case, the owners get the prize. Last year it was a steel pot. They are very proud of the bull.

The farmers take care of their cattle. The cattle is their life and livlihood. They do not hurt them, not do they allow them to get hurt. Violaions are rare, but sometimes do happen. As anywhere.

In another village, Rangampeta, 20km away from ours, close to the Tirumala forests they have many indigenous cattle. Good forests are needed to maintain herds of these cattle. In villages around here they have bigger Jallikattus. Herds of cattle are released into the street and whoever catches them gets the prizes tied to their horns. We were there this year. It was great fun, and crowds, men and women, SCs and forwards castes, all shoulder to shoulder were there in a festive atmosphere. Food was also liberally arranged for by the locals of that village for all who came. The cattle were run in groups doen the village streets. They were used to it, and were rarely caught.

There is no casteism or patriarchy I saw. All castes collectively celebrate it. Men and women are both there in the celebrations.

2. This is part of traditional festivities and the people were clear in my discussions with them that it cannot be banned. They agreed that violations sometimes happen and those should be clamped down on.

3. Village realities and contexts can only be understood by those there. Village people understand livestock best. They are the ones living with them. They are the stakeholders. They are wise and make sensible grounded choices. The urbans manytimes carry the white man's burdem of wishing to civilize the natives ! They are also as ignorant of village realities as the white man was.

If urbans decide that they wish to understand Jallikattu, they need to come and immerse. To from afar call it 'animal cruelty' maybe their hobby, but to expect a community to shut down their practices for that is a bit much.

4. These traditions are hoary and usually have many linked factors of conservation and survival. There exists an intrinsic connect between agricultural practices, nurturing and propagation of special
breeds of bulls, commerce, valour and social relations of a functioning agrarian society.

5. First and last, rural communities do not need urban moral police, and are well capable of handling their morals and balances. The socially sensitive urbans would do well to address their urban lifestyles that has already torn the ozone layer and is wiping out whole species through the climate change it has wrought.

(Warning - The media loves giving footage of extreme events and maybe because the public also loves gory stories. To make opinions based on such media accounts is retarded behaviour.)

Jallikattu at Ramgampeta - a celebration that breaks all walls of caste and gender. Jan 15th, 2017.