Dalit protests against bull-taming emerge amid Jallikattu supporters in TN

It is a regressive, feudal practice, say many members of lower-caste groups

It’s an essential part of Tamil culture and identity. That’s what thousands of protesters claimed as they gathered on Chennai’s Marina beach on Wednesday to demand that the Supreme Court lift its ban on the bull-taming sport of jallikattu.

Over the course of the legal battle to have the 2014 ban reversed, jallikattu supporters have sought to add weight to their cause by claiming great antiquity for the sport. They say it is mentioned in classical Tamil literature as “eru tazhuvuthal” or hugging the bull.

However, not everyone in Tamil Nadu buys into this narrative. A strong voice against the