Amid Jallikattu celebrations in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu on the eve of Pongal, residents of Allinagaram in the Theni district conducted a pig-taming sport for the welfare of pigs.
The sport was sponsored and co-conducted by the Vana Vengaikal Party, (vana vengaikal translates to wild cheetah) along with the residents of Allinagaram. More than 50 families of the Kuravar community, an ethnic hunting community, also took part in the arrangements for the event to celebrate Pongal.
Like in Jallikattu, the ground where the pig taming event took place had been fenced and rules were put into place for playing the sport. Twelve owners along with their pigs, from Theni, Dindugal and Madurai, participated in the event.
Also read: Jallikattu 2021: Here is Everything You Need to Know About the Bull-Taming Sport
The pigs had to have body weight ranging between 70 and 100 kgs. Like the rules in Jallikattu, in the pig taming sport, the pig has to cross three feet from the race line after which three candidates can try to get hold of the ping and control it. At a time only one person can try to hold and control the pig. The rules say that participants must try to keep the pig from crossing the borderline by pulling its hind legs. Participants who successfully controlled the pigs, and the owners of the pigs that managed to cross the line were given momentos and prizes.
“Generally, people are celebrating bulls in Tamil Nadu, as they consider it contributes more to the agricultural and farming works. It is also to be known that, pigs were also used in abundance for the agricultural works in ancient times in Tamil Nadu. There are more evidences in Puranaanooru-Paadan Thinai Literature that says pigs were used in agricultural works and celebrated by the people of the time. In that context, we decided to celebrated pigs and conducted this pig taming event,” said Ulaganathan, the general secreatary of the Vana vengaikal Party.
He said, “We celebrated pigs and conducted the event in the memory of our ancestors who lived in the hilly region. We are planning to conduct this pig taming event every year for Pongal with more pigs, in order to respect and celebrate the ancient tradition of Tamils.”
Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News here
Comments
0 comment