TIRUCHY: Jallikattu has not been held for the past two years and probably would not come Pongal, the traditional harvest and thanksgiving festival, too, in the wake of the Supreme Court ban on the sport, even as several jallikattu associations are still exploring political and legal avenues to hold the sport.
However, pro-jallikattu people have begun campaigns to create awareness worldwide by emphasising the role played by the sport in protecting the indigenous cattle breeds.
Already, the campaigns are having an impact. For instance, expatriates in the United Kingdom on Saturday held an awareness programme in support of the event at Trafalgar Square.
Speaking to Express over the phone, a 30-year-old jallikattu supporter from London, said, “We are not against any individual or organisation, our aim is to promote awareness on jallikattu across the world so that the importance of protecting the native cattle breeds would be known to the global community. There is already great awareness of the sport in the United States and Singapore. Soon, the whole planet would wake up to the significance of the traditional sport.”
About 50 Indians belonging to Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Maharashtra under the banner "Jallikattu Lovers UK" gathered near the Trafalgar Square in central London to popularise the sport among the residents and tourists in UK's capital.The participants, aged between 25 and 35, include professionals in IT sector, research field and also employees of provisional stores working in London, Birmingham, and Manchester. “We also have pro-jallikattu supporters who are the native to Bengaluru and Pune asking the government of India to legalise the sport. Social networking sites is a good aid for us to spread awareness on jallikattu like never before," one of the organisers of Jallikattu Lovers UK said. On the awareness events outside India, T Rajesh, State president of Tamilar Veeravilayaatu Paathukappu Kazhagam, a die-hard fan of the sport, said, “It's time for us to impart the true values of jallikattu to societies all over the world.”