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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy CM O Paneerselvam inaugurated the Jallikattu competition in the Alanganallur area of Madurai on Saturday.
The traditional bull-taming sport in the state started on Thursday. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi along with Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) President MK Stalin's son and actor Udhayanidhi, attended the Jallikattu event in Avaniyapuram in Madurai on January 14. As per COVID-19 rules, the number of players in an event should not exceed more than 150 and they need to have COVID-19 negative certificates to participate in the event. In 2014, Supreme Court had banned Jallikattu after People for Ethical Treatment of Animals filed a plea but it was lifted in 2017 after protests from the people of Tamil Nadu, claiming the event is a crucial part of their culture. Jallikattu, a centuries-old sport is celebrated in the second week of January, during Pongal. Pongal is a four-day harvest festival dedicated to the Sun God. To mark the festival, the Pongal sweet dish is prepared and is first offered to the Gods and Goddesses followed by, sometimes, with an offering to cows. (ANI)
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