Daijiworld Media Network - Madurai

Madurai, Jan 16: The famed Palamedu jallikattu, one of the major bull-taming events in Madurai district, was held with much fervour on Friday, witnessing the participation of nearly 1,100 bulls and around 600 registered tamers.

Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin inaugurated the event in the morning. The Palamedu jallikattu follows the season’s opening event at Avaniyapuram and comes ahead of the concluding jallikattu scheduled to be held at Alanganallur on Saturday.

Officials said all bulls and tamers had registered online prior to the event. Attractive prizes including a car, a bike and other rewards have been announced for winners among both tamers and bull owners.

The event was attended by Commercial Taxes and Registration Minister P Moorthy, Madurai District Collector K J Praveen Kumar, actor Soori, and several senior officials.

Elaborate security arrangements were made, with over 2,200 police personnel deployed to ensure smooth conduct of the event. About two dozen spectator galleries were set up, while a large LED screen displayed live scorecards along with details of bulls and tamers for each round.

Basic amenities including drinking water and temporary toilets were provided at the venue. A dedicated medical team comprising doctors, nurses and paramedical staff was stationed on-site to handle emergencies. The arrangements were supported by 12 EMRI ambulances, two bike ambulances and volunteers from the Madurai Red Cross Society.

Meanwhile, a separate team of veterinarians from the Animal Husbandry Department conducted mandatory health inspections of bulls at the Vadivasal entry point.

As per the schedule, Avaniyapuram hosted the first jallikattu event of the season, followed by Palamedu on January 16. The final and most anticipated jallikattu at Alanganallur on January 17 will be inaugurated by Chief Minister M K Stalin.