A Barbaric Custom

I just saw a really barbaric custom in television today. Called the Jallikkattu, which culminates the harvest festival of Pongal, in Tamilnadu, it involves trying to clamber upon a fiery ox, which is allowed to run amok. The bull is ruthlessly starved for a few days, and fed with rice mixed with a local liquor, and then a bag of coins is tied to it’s horns. A huge noise is made and the frightened creature, in it’s bid for escape, runs wild with fury, with a dozen young men running behind it, and the unmanageable, enthusiastic crowd gathered around, cheers this disgusting spectacle. In this mayhem, obviously, lots of people get injured, and the less said about the animal, the better. No one ever speaks of that part.

It seems that in the Jallikkattu conducted in a village in Madurai yesterday, about eight people have been seriously injured. Due to widespread protests, especially among the animal enthusiasts, the court had previously tried to interfere and put an end to it, but it seems, in respect to the people’s religious sentiments(!), the Supreme Court had waved the green flag! And look at the consequences….

There must be thousands of such meaningless customs around, like the parade of the naked sanyasis some place in North India, mindless animal sacrifice in the name of religion, or the practice of piercing the cheeks and tounge to appease God. I really feel, such traditions ought to be reviewed seriously. After all, I am sure God doesn’t want to see his devotees hurt and injured.. Least of all, poor, dumb, animals at that!