Jallikattu - Importance of Native Indian Bulls

Jallikattu - Importance of Native Indian Bulls

      

      Jallikattu - meaning - Embracing the bull in Tamil. This post, will explain about Jallikattu, why it is being played in Southern India, it's historical significance and it's importance.

           Indian Humped bulls are also called as 'Indian Aurochs', which is a sub species of extinct aurochs cattle breed. About 2 million years before, aurochs were originated in India and started to spread towards west during Holocene epoch. The scientific name of Zebu cattle breed is 'Bos Indicus', which are descended from Indian Aurochs. Zebu have humps on shoulders, large dewlaps and droopy ears. Today, we can see more of our native humped bulls in other countries than India. 

        In history,  these Indian native bulls are traced back to Indus valley civilization. These humped bulls were roamed during Indus valley civilization and it is part of our history, we could see the motifs of the humped bulls in the Indus seals which are excavated from the archaeological sites of Harappa and Mohenjo Daro. Thousands and thousands of zebu cattle breeds were exported to Brazil, United states of America and many other countries. But, we still didn't realise the importance and significance of our native humped bulls.

            Kangayam, pullikulam, Brahman, Nellore, Ongole, Sahiwal, Red sindhi, Butana, Kenana, Tharpakar, Guzerat, Boran, Umbalacheri are the major Zebu bulls of the world. The large humps and dewlaps are the special features of native breeds. It has many importance which have gone unnoticed, i have explained the same in this post under Jallikattu section below.

Worshiping Bulls:

              In Hinduism, the humped bull is considered as vahana (mount) for lord Shiva, it's also called as 'Nandi', the gate guardian deity of Kailash. In all shiva temples, we could see nandi statue before entering into the main deity Shiva. In our culture, it is believed, if we say our wish / prayer in nandi's ear, it will be reached to Lord Shiva and our wishes will be fulfilled. Thus, Nandi is considered as a medium to reach Shiva and also, he is considered as a chief guru of 8 disciples.

 In history,  Worshiping Shiva and Nandi can be traced back to 'Pasupati seal' found in Harappa and Mohenjo daro sites.

Nandi in Shiva Temple

Now, let us see about Jallikattu...

What is Jallikattu ? 

                Everyone must have heard the name 'Jallikattu' due to its controversy in the recent past. Every year, Jallikattu will be conducted during the day of Mattu pongal (Second day of Pongal). The one which is held in Alanganallur village, near Madurai is one of the most popular event.

              Why Jallikattu ?? Why to hurt animals ?? Oh no..!! poor illiterate uncivilized Tamil people !!! Huh ??? 'Jallikattu' is neither status symbol nor uncivilized manner, in fact southern part of India is the only one region where our culture and traditions are still being followed, only those who are already converted into western maaya and illiterate about India are thinking that Indian culture & traditions are myth , it's full of superstitions. Let me explain about Jallikattu now, in Jallikattu only humped bulls will participate for the game. 

        Before explaining about the science behind the game, let me remind you that this the day 2nd day of Thai / Makar month (mostly 15th January ) that is dedicated to native Cows and Bulls. 

Jallikattu / Eru Thazhuvudhal / Manju Virattu

        We worship bulls, we celebrate them and it's a thanksgiving to the Cows and Bulls of our family. In villages, we can still see Dogs, Goats, Chickens, Cows, Buffalo, Bulls as pet animal. But, more than all the pet animal Cow deserves special place in the house, we call them with a pet name and even include cows, bulls in our family picture. Even in temples, there is a place called 'Goshala' (Cow's place), where temple committee will take care of humped cows over there and prashadam for god will be prepared from that temple cow's milk.  

                  Why to play games with bull ?? We are ONLY playing games with bulls, due to which humans may get hurt, but not the bulls. Jallikattu means 'Embracing the bull', not hurting the animal.

In Spain and other foreign countries, they are killing the bulls for the happiness of the rich humans. Does anybody question that ? 

                  
                 In India, we only had humped bull breeds, out of which Kangeyam and Pullikulam breeds are most famous for jallikattu, it is the game for bravery of a man, one who holds bull's hump for 20 - 30 seconds will be the winner.  A bull will be there in the game arena  for max 40 seconds. 

        There are many variants of Jallikattu, 'Vadi  Manjuvirattu' is renowned for mattu pongal,  during this game bulls will comes out of 'Vaadi Vaasal' with a high speed (gate through which bulls enter into the competition area). There are many rules for this game, the person who participates in the competition should be physically fit, at a time only one person should hold the hump, those who touch the tail, horns, neck of the bull are disqualified from the game, like this there are many more rules and restrictions for this game. First, Kovil Kaalai (Temple bull) will come out of the gate and the players allow it a free run, will not touch the bull.

Now, why this Jallikattu game is needed ? 

        This game is not needed for humans, this game is practiced for ages, in order to preserve our country breeds. How ??  Only with the genes of stud bulls, stronger calves will be given birth, thus in order to preserve the genes of our vedic bull breeds, this practise is being followed for many generations. 

        How do we have stud bulls ?? only by feeding food and maintaining them? Can we humans, be stronger only by eating and taking rest? Stud bulls should be agile, alert and virile. In the peak of the reproductive period, the necessary male hormones needs to be secreted, pumping hearts and adrenaline rushes. 

            When the stud bulls enters into the vadi vaasal with much force and speed, their testosterone level increases,  when the humans tries to control the bull, in a agile it will give back the force, due to which their hear pumps fast and hormone level increases. When the bull wins in the competition (No one couldn't control the bull), then it will be taken directly to the cows of temple for mating. As per our science, it is believed that after this competition, bulls will have complete power and the calves will have the best genes with more power and strength. Only our vedic humped cow gives A2 milk, A2 milk produced by our Indian cows are good health, where as the A1 milk from cross breed are toxic for health. A2 milk is having more micro nutrients and minerals which enhances our immunity system.
          

  

           Followed by clothing and food, western diseases are also spread in India, due to several factors such as A1 milk, hormone injected meat and GM foods. Jersey and Holstein cows yields more A1 milk, but very less nutrition and also after few years, they stop yielding milk and not having enough stamina to give birth to calves, even if it gives birth to calves, they very weak, so it is directly sent for slaughter. Due to this artificial insemination from A1 breeds are making our native breeds extinct.

          On a year, our vedic humped cows gives 3 times more milk than the humpless cows. One should not calculate the number of litres of milk in a day, one should calculate the number of litres of milk produced in a YEAR. Today Brazil is minting money by selling humped desi  bulls semen, which they have taken from India.

         When we are doing Homam, we use ghee and Gomutra. The Gomutra of humped cows are having many benefits, it has been used in treating various diseases and also used in ayurveda . Indian humped cows doesn't need any antibiotics, it eats greens, water and does work peacefully, whereas the humpless cows eats and drinks throughout the day, falls sick and takes antibiotics, so it's milk is not good for health. 

Why only humped cow's milk is good for health ? 

    Our native cows and bulls have hump and there is a unique channel (Nadi) from the hump till the backbone tail, that causes the secretion of purity whether it is milk, urine or cow dung. This Nadi will be there only in Indian native bulls. This channel is the secret for A2 milk and it is the powerhouse of purity.

Kamadenu Cow that we worship

            
              After knowing the secret of our milk, westerners took many of our native humped cows to their land. They are now milking money from our priceless bulls, giving the best milk to their people and in return they have sent useless humpless cows to India, which gives toxic milk. They know the benefits of A2 milk, they are supplying A2 milk in their market with our desi cows and wants us to drink toxic milk to get diseases, due to which they will be rich with their pharma and health industry. 

        If this Jallikattu sport is stopped, the agile and stud genes of our native bulls will become extinct and as a result, we would not be having A2 milk, medicinal Gomutra and cow dungs of our cows. When native cows and bulls becomes extinct, we have to depend on foreign countries for their cow breeds to get useless A1 milk. This the main reason for banning Jallikattu and by tarnishing the truth of indian breed,  erasing the ancient sport from our history and stopping our age old traditions in the name of animal welfare. 

Now, many foreign countries are drinking safe and nutritious A2 milk. 

A2 milk in a Foreign supermarket.

Bulls in our History

            Our Indian Humped bulls are depicted in the harappan seal coins, plates etc. There are many terracotta hand painted harappan bull figurines excavated from the site.

Humped bull in seal

Terracotta humped bull figurine

        There are pre historic painting around 30,000 years old found in Bhimbetka rock shelters. The oldest rock art is found at Bhimbetka cave site, in Bhopal (Madhya pradesh).

           
            There are seven animal capitals during the reign of Ashoka, from the pillars of Ashoka. The archaeological site is called as 'Rampurva', which is located at West Champaran district of Bihar, India. Rampurva bull capital is composed of lotus motif at the base and zebu bull on top of it.

Rampurva Bull capital

         There are many legacies about our native breed bull, In Ancient Egypt people worships sacred bull called 'Apis' , son of Goddess 'Hathor' , it is believed that 'Apis' served as intermediary between Gods and humans (like our Nandi in temples) and the statue of the bull 'Apis' looks similar to our Indian bull Nandi. Thus, it makes clear that Hinduism was there in Egypt, our tradition, gods , culture were mentioned in their history, but with different names. Our Sanatana Dharma were followed in ancient Egypt by Egyptian kings and architects.

Apis Bull

Worshiping Solar bull Egypt

           

               Worship of Apis bull (Nandi) was then continued by the Greeks followed by Romans and it continued till 300 A.D

Our native bulls and cows are unnoticed treasures for human lives. These priceless genes of bulls and cows needs to be maintained, for healthy next generations of humans!!

More details and history about Bull in Kumari Kandam posts

--Aarthi Thiyagarajan