Banned and dangerous: Tamil Nadu’s Jallikattu sport

Tamers tackle a raging bull at a Jallikattu event in Alanganallur, about 575 kilometers (359 miles) south of Chennai. The Supreme Court on Thursday decided against passing an order on permitting the bull-taming sport Jallikattu before January 14, when the four-day Tamil harvest festival of Pongal is slated to begin. (M. Lakshman / AP)

Updated on: Jan 12, 2017 8:40 PM IST

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Tamers tackle a raging bull at a Jallikattu event in Alanganallur, about 575 kilometers (359 miles) south of Chennai. The Supreme Court on Thursday decided against passing an order on permitting the bull-taming sport Jallikattu before January 14, when the four-day Tamil harvest festival of Pongal is slated to begin. (M. Lakshman / AP)

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Competitors taking part in the bull taming sport of Jallikattu on January 16, 2014 in Alanganallur, Tamil Nadu, India. (Shutterstock)

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Jallikattu has been practised for thousands of years - unlike in Spain, the bull is not killed and the object is to pluck bundles of money or gold tied to the animal’s sharpened horns. (ShutterStock)

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In, 2014 the sport was outlawed by the Supreme Court following objections from animal rights activists who say it is cruel. The court upheld the ban in January. (Shutterstock)

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Jallikattu is an event of hugging or embracing the bull and it is held in Indian state Tamil Nadu as a part of Pongal celebrations. (Shutterstock)

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Jallikattu has been known to be practised during the Tamil classical period (400-100 BC). (Shutterstock)

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The apex court said while the draft of the judgment has been prepared, it is not possible to deliver a verdict before Saturday when Pongal is set to be celebrated in Tamil Nadu. (Shutterstock)

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The bulls in Alanganallur came out of the vaadi vaasal (entry door) at high speed on January 16, 2014 in Alanganallur. (Shutterstock)

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Police officers watching the bull taming sport of Jallikattu in Alanganallur, Tamil Nadu, India. (Shutterstock )

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Hundreds of youths who have gathered from southern districts, participating in a protest demanding the Central government to lift the ban on Jallikattu, in Madurai on Tuesday. (PTI)