The sleepy town of Alanganallur, here popular for its 'world famous jallikattu,' tag turned live again for this year's season as hundreds of tamers and bulls tried to get the better of each other on Friday while two spectators died.
Right from the start, there was no dearth of exciting moments as determined men chased evasive bulls keenly watched by thousands of men, women and children and several of them from roof-tops and from wherever they got a vantage view.
Eventually, when the day-long event concluded, Ranjith Kumar, a local youth, who dominated 16 bulls in a single round won the first prize and he was awarded a Hyundai Santro car.
"Chief Minister K Palaniswami will hand over the car in Chennai," Revenue Minister R B Udhayakumar said adding the owner of bull adjudged best will also get a car.
The second prize winner got a motorbike and the man at the third spot received Rs 10,000 cash prize.
According to administrators, reigning 16 bulls in a single round is an "achievement." The second and third prize winners got the better of 13 and 14 bulls respectively.
The Alanganallur jallikattu is hugely popular and known for its 'world famous tag,' for reasons like the valour of bulls and men and the arrival of people from far and wide to witness it including foreigners.
Similar bull taming events were held in a number of other places today including one at Rachandar Thirumalai near Tiruchirappalli.
Also, similar events like 'Manjuvirattu' were held at Omalur near Salem and Puducherry. Several foreigners with their foreheads smeared with holy ash became the centre of attraction at the Puducherry event.
Meanwhile, a 26-year-old 'jallikattu' spectator was gored to death by a bull outside the sporting arena at Alanganallur near here on Friday, police said.
In what appeared to be a freak mishap, Sridhar sustained grievous injuries after he was attacked by a bull off the exit and bull collection point.
A native of Sholavandhan village near here, he travelled to Alanganallur to witness the sport.
Another onlooker, Chellapandi of Oothupatti village too died and the reason for his death is being ascertained, they said.
A police official told PTI: "Both of them were spectators and they were not on the ground (as contestants) where the the bull-taming sport was held."
Another official said: "It is suspected that Chellapandi might have had some pre-existing health condition. He fell down and sustained injuries. However, whether he was gored by a bull or not is unclear since there was a huge crowd."
Their bodies were moved to the Government Rajaji Hospital, the official said.
The ongoing jallikattu season began on January 15 at Avaniapuram and the second major event was held at Palamedu on Thursday, both in Madurai district.
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