Jallikattu, the brave sport of Tamil culture

Pongal is considered to be the Tamil festival. From time immemorial the Tamilians have been celebrating Pongal. The ancient Tamil society was an agrarian society. On this Pongal day the Tamil community offers their agricultural produces to Sun god. Pongal usually falls on 14 or 15 of January when the Sun is supposed to have started its northward journey from 23.5 Degree South Latitude [Tropic of Capricorn] to Equator and to further north. Theoretically speaking it is on 23rd December every year that Sun is at Tropic of Capricorn and the next day onwards it started moving to North latitude. Moreover Sun is closest to earth by Third January every year [Distance: 147 million KM]. That is the earth has completed one revolution round the sun and is starting a new second revolution from January. This may be the reason that most of the community in the globe is celebrating January as their new year. Similarly the Tamil society which thrived close to Equator [say, 8.0 Degree North Latitude] celebrated its New Year in April. However the first ray of light from Sun, when Sun is still at Tropic of Capricorn (or just north of it) and / or the first ray of light emanated from Sun and viewed first at Tamil habitats’ latitude [say 8.0 Degree North] is known as ‘MAHARA JOTHI’ which falls on Pongal day. This will best fit to be the commencement of Tamil New Year day rather than the April 14 when Sun will be exactly over- head of Tamil latitudes.
Tamil Society is an agrarian society. Naturally cattle will form a part of life of Tamil people. Oxen were used to plough the lands and cows were considered as scared animals by ancient Tamil culture. Tamils respected the animals. To show their gratitude to the domestic especially the plough animals they celebrated a dedicated festival for Oxen and cow called ‘MATTU PONGAL’. However they let free the tough and rough oxen to wander on that day. Those rude oxen were braved by young men. This was considered as a brave sport by Tamils. In those days that was man –oxen, one to one, fight and is called in Tamil as ‘ERRU THALUVUTHAL’ or ‘KADA KALAI ADAKUTHAL’, as is done in Spain. But later the sport was spoiled and many youth throng upon a lone oxen and it became really cruelty on animals. In this regard I welcome the Supreme Court ban on this sport.