The third day of Pongal is
dedicated to cattle and is called Mattu Pongal. People offer prayers to the
bulls, cows and other farm animals. Cows and bulls have always held a special
place in India. Cows give nourishing milk while bulls and oxen help plough the
fields. Thus, Maatu Pongal is a day when cattle are given a well deserved day
of rest and are given pride of place. Therefore the farmers honor their cattle
friends by celebrating it as a day of thanks-giving to them.
On this day, Lord Ganesh and Goddess Parvati are worshiped and Pongal is offered to them in the 'puja'. According to a legend, once Shiva asked his bull, Basava, to go to the earth and ask the mortals to have an oil massage and bath every day and to eat once a month. Inadvertently, Basava announced that everyone should eat daily and have an oil bath once a month. This mistake enraged Shiva who then cursed Basava, banishing him to live on the earth forever. He would have to plough the fields and help people produce more food. Thus the association of this day with cattle.
The cattle are washed, their horns are painted and covered with shining metal caps. Multi-colored beads, tinkling bells, sheaves of corn and flower garlands are tied around their necks. They are fed with Pongal and taken to the village centres. Devotees pay their respect to cows by bending down, like praying in temple, and touching their feet and foreheads, followed by an aarthi (showing fire to the object of praise) and offering the cattle prasadam (food offering, in this case, Pongal).
Pongal also marks the fresh harvesting of rice, a crop associated with fertility, joy, and wealth. This way, it represents renewal and the change of season. Rice is a staple food in South India. On the day of Mattu Pongal, cattle are worshiped by Tamil people all over the world. Cattle and rice are linked, as they play a vital role in farms and help farmers to earn their everyday income. Here you can learn more about why are cows sacred in India.
Animal rights associations such as PETA argue that the bulls are threatened, attacked and hurt during the process of Jallikattu, and so they strongly oppose it. However, the authorities pursuing the case see it as an important tradition. While Mattu Pongal is supposed to celebrate and honor bulls and cows, this aspect of the festival has received its fair share of criticism.
Jallikattu is typically practised in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu as a part of Pongal celebrations on Mattu Pongal day, which occurs annually in January.
As there were events of injury and death associated with the sport, both to the participants and to the animals forced into it, animal rights organizations have called for a ban to the sport, resulting in the court banning it several times over the past years. However, with protest from the people against the ban, a new ordinance was made in 2017 to continue the sport.
Jallikattu has been known to be practiced during the Tamil classical period (400-100 BC).It was common among the ancient people Aayars who lived in the ‘Mullai’ geographical division of the ancient Tamil country. Later, it became a platform for display of bravery and prize money was introduced for participation encouragement. A seal from the Indus Valley Civilization depicting the practice is preserved in the National Museum, New Delhi.A cave painting in white kaolin discovered near Madurai depicting a lone man trying to control a bull is estimated to be about 1,500 years old.
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On this day, Lord Ganesh and Goddess Parvati are worshiped and Pongal is offered to them in the 'puja'. According to a legend, once Shiva asked his bull, Basava, to go to the earth and ask the mortals to have an oil massage and bath every day and to eat once a month. Inadvertently, Basava announced that everyone should eat daily and have an oil bath once a month. This mistake enraged Shiva who then cursed Basava, banishing him to live on the earth forever. He would have to plough the fields and help people produce more food. Thus the association of this day with cattle.
The cattle are washed, their horns are painted and covered with shining metal caps. Multi-colored beads, tinkling bells, sheaves of corn and flower garlands are tied around their necks. They are fed with Pongal and taken to the village centres. Devotees pay their respect to cows by bending down, like praying in temple, and touching their feet and foreheads, followed by an aarthi (showing fire to the object of praise) and offering the cattle prasadam (food offering, in this case, Pongal).
JALLIKATTU- A BULL
FESTIVAL
A festival called
Jallikattu is held in Madurai, Tiruchirapalli and Tanjavur on this day. Bundles
of money are tied to the horns of ferocious bulls which the villagers try to
retrieve. Everyone joins in the community meal, at which the food is made of
the freshly harvested grain. This day is named and celebrated as Tamizhar
Tirunal in a fitting manner throughout Tamil Nadu.
The Hindu celebration of Mattu Pongal is
celebrated on the 15th of January almost
year, although sometimes it falls on the day after. As we said, it is the third
day of the four-day Pongal festival.
Pongal also marks the fresh harvesting of rice, a crop associated with fertility, joy, and wealth. This way, it represents renewal and the change of season. Rice is a staple food in South India. On the day of Mattu Pongal, cattle are worshiped by Tamil people all over the world. Cattle and rice are linked, as they play a vital role in farms and help farmers to earn their everyday income. Here you can learn more about why are cows sacred in India.
What
is jallikattu?
Jallikattu
or manju virattu is a tradition that takes place during Mattu Pongal, and nowadays
it is a hotly debated practice. In short, it is a bull-chasing sport that has
sparked lots of questions about animal rights, and it is the subject of much
discussion in the state of Tamil Nadu.
Animal rights associations such as PETA argue that the bulls are threatened, attacked and hurt during the process of Jallikattu, and so they strongly oppose it. However, the authorities pursuing the case see it as an important tradition. While Mattu Pongal is supposed to celebrate and honor bulls and cows, this aspect of the festival has received its fair share of criticism.
jallikattu (or sallikkattu),
also known as ta and manju virattu, is a traditional spectacle in which a Bos indicus bull, such as the Pulikulam or Kangayam breeds, is released into a crowd of people,
and multiple human participants attempt to grab the large hump on the bull's
back with both arms and hang on to it while the bull attempts to escape.
Participants hold the hump for as long as possible, attempting to bring the
bull to a stop. In some cases, participants must ride long enough to remove
flags on the bull's horns.
Jallikattu is typically practised in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu as a part of Pongal celebrations on Mattu Pongal day, which occurs annually in January.
As there were events of injury and death associated with the sport, both to the participants and to the animals forced into it, animal rights organizations have called for a ban to the sport, resulting in the court banning it several times over the past years. However, with protest from the people against the ban, a new ordinance was made in 2017 to continue the sport.
Jallikattu has been known to be practiced during the Tamil classical period (400-100 BC).It was common among the ancient people Aayars who lived in the ‘Mullai’ geographical division of the ancient Tamil country. Later, it became a platform for display of bravery and prize money was introduced for participation encouragement. A seal from the Indus Valley Civilization depicting the practice is preserved in the National Museum, New Delhi.A cave painting in white kaolin discovered near Madurai depicting a lone man trying to control a bull is estimated to be about 1,500 years old.
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