Jallikattu je vekovni bikovski običaj koji se održava tokom Pongala u Avaniyapuramu i privlači velike mase uprkos kritikama aktivista za prava životinja. Takmičari pokušavaju da zadrže bika kroz tri skoka, 30 sekundi ili 15 metara; nagrade su simbolične, dok je pravi cilj društveni prestiž. Nakon zabrane Vrhovnog suda 2014., lokalni pritisci i zakonodavstvo omogućili su nastavak prakse 2017. godine, ali debata o bezbednosti i dobrobiti životinja i dalje traje.
Jallikattu u Avaniyapuramu: Vekovni bikovski običaj koji izaziva divljenje i kontroverze
Bull tamers scramble to safety as a bull charges during the Jallikattu bull-taming event at the annual harvest festival called Pongal in Avaniyapuram village on the outskirts of Madurai, India, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Satima pre zore u Avaniyapuramu, u južnoj indijskoj saveznoj državi Tamil Nadu, hiljade ljudi se skupe da prisustvuju delirijumu tradicionalnog žetvenog festivala Pongal — a jedna od najgledanijih atrakcija je Jallikattu, vekovni bikovski običaj. Na improvizovanim tribinama i krovovima kuća publika napeto iščekuje trenutak kada će se bik izvući iz uskog prolaza i započeti trku.
Na stazi, desetine bosih muškaraca u šarenim dresovima guraju se i penju jedni na druge da bi pričekali povoljan trenutak kod kapije. Kada bik izleti, učesnici skaču na njegov grb i pokušavaju da ga zadrže kroz tri skoka, 30 sekundi ili dok ne pređu 15 metara — pravila koja mere hrabrost i spretnost. Nagrade variraju od kuhinjskog pribora i dušeka do bicikala, stolica pa čak i automobila; ali za mnoge šampione važniji je prestiž u selu i regionu.
Manikanda Prabhu, poznat kao Mudakathan Mani, tvrdi da je između 1996. i 2023. pobedio oko 4.000 puta. U svojoj kancelariji u Maduraiju izloženi su trofeji i priznanja, ali i ožiljci koji podsećaju na rizike u areni. Mnogi dugogodišnji takmičari, poput građevinskog radnika Sive Swamyja, opisuju takmičenje kao snažan izvor ličnog ponosa i porodične tradicije: „Adrenalin me čini ratnikom — bol i povrede me ne zaustavljaju,“ kaže on.
Kontroverze i zakonski razvoj
Aktivisti za prava životinja godinama su kritikovali Jallikattu kao okrutnu praksu. Vrhovni sud Indije je 2014. doneo odluku koja je dovela do zabrane, ali su nakon masovnih protesta u Tamil Nadu usvojeni novi lokalni propisi koji su 2017. praktično izuzeli događaj iz strogih odredbi o zlostavljanju životinja. Debata ostaje živa: zagovornici ističu kulturnu vrednost i brigu za životinje posle događaja, dok kritičari upozoravaju na rizike povreda ljudi i potencijalna zlostavljanja.
Kako se brinu o bikovima
Organizatori tvrde da bikovi nisu namerno povređivani i da se održava briga o njihovom zdravlju kako bi mogli da učestvuju i ubuduće. Pre događaja često se obavljaju rituali blagoslova, a životinje su ukrašene vijencima i vermilionom. Ipak, incidenti i povrede i dalje podstiču preporuke za strožije bezbednosne mere i nadzor.
Zaključak: Jallikattu ostaje snažan simbol regionalnog identiteta i tradicije u Tamil Nadu, ali i izvor intenzivne debate o granicama kulture i zaštiti životinja. Dok jedni vide u njemu čuvanje običaja i hrabrosti, drugi zahtevaju modernizaciju i veću zaštitu za učesnike i životinje.
Former champion Manikandan Prabhu, center, trains young men for the Jallikattu bull-taming event at the annual harvest festival called Pongal on the outskirts of Madurai, India, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Caretakers bathe a bull for the Jallikattu bull-taming event at the annual harvest festival called Pongal in Madurai, India, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Bull tamers grapple with a bull during the Jallikattu bull-taming event at the annual harvest festival called Pongal in Avaniyapuram village on the outskirts of Madurai, India, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Handlers guide a bull to the arena for the Jallikattu bull-taming event at the annual harvest festival called Pongal in Avaniyapuram village on the outskirts of Madurai, India, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
A participant falls while trying to restrain a bull during the Jallikattu bull-taming event at the annual harvest festival called Pongal in Avaniyapuram village on the outskirts of Madurai, India, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Bull tamers grapple with a bull during the Jallikattu bull-taming event at the annual harvest festival called Pongal in Avaniyapuram village on the outskirts of Madurai, India, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Villagers gather for the Jallikattu bull-taming event at the annual harvest festival called Pongal in Palamedu village on the outskirts of Madurai, India, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
A tamer falls as bull charges towards him during the Jallikattu bull-taming event at the annual harvest festival called Pongal in Palamedu village on the outskirts of Madurai, India, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Bull tamers grapple with a bull during the Jallikattu bull-taming event at the annual harvest festival called Pongal in Palamedu village on the outskirts of Madurai, India, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
A man walks along with his bull to participate in the Jallikattu bull-taming event at the annual harvest festival called Pongal in Palamedu village on the outskirts of Madurai, India, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Medical personnel evacuate an injured participant from the arena during the Jallikattu bull-taming event at the annual harvest festival called Pongal in Avaniyapuram village on the outskirts of Madurai, India, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Portraits of Arvind hang outside his home in memory of the youth who died after being gored by a bull in 2003, during the Jallikattu bull-taming event at the annual harvest festival called Pongal in Palamedu village on the outskirts of Madurai, India, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Venkatesh offers prayers before leaving for Palamedu village to attend the Jallikattu bull-taming event at the annual harvest festival in Madurai, India, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Bull handlers head to the collection area to get their animals after the Jallikattu bull-taming event at the annual harvest festival called Pongal in Palamedu village on the outskirts of Madurai, India, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
A bull runs loose as handlers on motorcycles pursue the animal after the Jallikattu bull-taming event at the annual harvest festival called Pongal in Avaniyapuram village on the outskirts of Madurai, India, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
A veterinarian checks the records of a bull before it takes part in the Jallikattu bull-taming event at the annual harvest festival called Pongal in Avaniyapuram village on the outskirts of Madurai, India, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Bull owners line up with their animals as they wait to compete in the Jallikattu bull-taming event at the annual harvest festival called Pongal in Avaniyapuram village on the outskirts of Madurai, India, India, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
A handler gives his bull water to drink before competing in the Jallikattu bull-taming event at the annual harvest festival called Pongal in Avaniyapuram village on the outskirts of Madurai, India, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
A bull is transported by truck after participating in the Jallikattu bull-taming event at the annual harvest festival called Pongal on the outskirts of Madurai, India, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Villagers' feet hang over the side of the area as others compete the Jallikattu bull-taming event at the annual harvest festival called Pongal in Palamedu village on the outskirts of Madurai, India, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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