Jallikattu, the climax of Pongal in TN

Alaganallur (Tamil Nadu): As a young man in his twenties, Radhakrishnan could single-handedly tame an unruly bull. Now at 65, although he doesn't take to the arena, he's still not lost his passion for the sport. And he is a busy man, preparing his bull - Eswaran - for its first Jallikattu on Wednesday.

Pongal celebrations in Tamil Nadu are coming to an end on Wednesday, but not without the big event, Jallikattu, the traditional bullfight.

Galleries have been put up and the ground is clear to witness the big fight. People say it's a sport of valour, a sport of courage and a sport of success and defeat, but ultimately, it's the spirit that matters.

Says Radhakrishnan, "Ideally only one person should tame a bull. Nowadays too many people lay their hands on a single bull. It's unfair."

Nonetheless, he is proud of his bull and he is not the only one.

Says a villager, V K Thangam, "We treat our bull as part of our family. We love him as if he were our child and worship him like he was our God."

Bull taming in Tamil Nadu is no longer the test of the machismo of an eligible bachelor, but whoever trains the bull - man, woman or child - accidents can happen all the time.

However, that doesn't take anything away from the popularity of the sport and the enthusiasm of lakhs of people who come to watch a good fight.

Says another villager, A Murali, "People like us who live in villages don't have any other means of recreation but for sports like Kabaddi, running races or Jallikattu."

Adds the District Collector, T Udayachandran, "This time it'll be a more regulated event. We've made elaborate security arrangements. We'll have medical check-ups for the contestants as well as the bulls by doctors and veterinarians."

So here's hoping that both bull and matador emerge unscathed!

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