MADURAI: While the day started with protests such as closing the shops and hunger strike at Alanganallur and Palamedu which are well known for jallikattu, the people started their celebration as the central government has granted permission for jallikattu this year on Friday.
As the Pongal festival is approaching, the people of Madurai and the surrounding villages started preparing for jallikattu which is considered as a veera vilayattu. Jallikattu is a kind of cultural sport which even attracts viewers from foreign countries. While this practice is being followed for several years by the people, permission was denied for jallikattu during the last year. The people thought of this as the bad omen and staged a series of protests this year as Pongal festival is nearing.
Following the protests, the central government has granted permission for conducting jallikattu this year and the people of Alanganallur and Palamedu are celebrating by bursting crackers and by going on a procession in the important streets by bursting crackers and dancing to the tunes of folk music.
With only a week left for the festival, the people are busy making arrangements for conducting jallikattu. The people also expressed that the Pongal festival has started early this year as permission was granted for jallikattu.
A person K. Sakthi who is the resident of Alanganallur said, "The people are very happy and are in a festive mood as the permission for jallikattu was granted following their protest. As permission was granted a week earlier, it would be easier for us to carryout the necessary arrangements to organize jallikattu."
Though we announced that the all shops would be closed on Friday, the shopkeepers started to open their shops after hearing the news that permission was granted for jallikattu. He also pointed out that even though permission was not given for jallikattu earlier, the people started doing the preparatory works for the sport while organising protests on the other hand.
Speaking to the vice-chairman of Alanganallur town panchayat R. Govindarajan, he said that the people are very happy as permission was granted for jallikattu this year. Thanking the central government for granting permission, Govindarajan said, "Jallikattu is a kind of veera vilayattu which is being organized by the people for several years. Jallikattu is not only a sport but also explains the culture of our people."
Special prayers were also organized at the temple at Alanganallur on Friday as permission was granted for jallikattu. While the people of Palamedu organised a hunger strike, started their celebration after the central government has granted permission for jallikattu.