How music is being used to protest Jallikattu ban in Tamil Nadu
"Ariyatha Tamizha Un Ariyamai, Pizhaiyal Un Adaiyalam Vizhuthan, Nee Medhuvaga Azhivai, Un Adaiyalam Vizhunthan, Un Thai Naatil Neeyum Oru, Agathiyai Vazhthiduvai" - (Tamizha, because of your unawareness, you will slowly lose your identity and will slowly come to an end and with your identity lost, you will become a refugee in your own homeland) - Takkaru Takkaru, an album by Hiphop Tamizha.
The song, which documents the Jallikattu scene in the heartbeats of Tamil Nadu, aims to create awareness about the highly debated cultural sport. Talking about Jallikattu, Aadhi of HipHop Tamizha said: "It is not just cultural identity or sport, it is something to do with rural ecosystems, it is about the livelihood of farmers and it is a breeding science."
The last couple of weeks in Tamil Nadu have seen heated debates on Jallikattu and anyone opposing the sport getting a lot of backlash. Many in the film fraternity and musical world have jointly come forward to make a case for lifting the Supreme Court ban on this over 2,000-year-old sport.
"With proper regulations it is possible to conduct Jallikattu without the negative connotations that are associated with the sport," said singer Chinmayi.
Another way forward by a few young musicians has been to come out with a song that supports the cause. After Takkaru Takkaru, another song that highlights the case is Kombu Vacha Singamada, composed by GV Prakash and sung by Arun Kamaraj of Nerupu da fame.
Arun, talking about the concept of the song, said, "The reason behind the ban is unacceptable. Animal welfare activists are saying we are torturing the animal (bulls), but it is not torturing, it is hugging; yerithazhuvudal means hugging the bull. It is not violence against animals. If you say it is violence then extracting milk from cow is sexual harassment. What are you going to do then? Ban diary products, ban milk? India is one of the top exporters of beef, so killing the cow is allowed in India but not hugging? We need to raise our voice against this and that is why we have composed a song. We need to support such cultural activities. This has been practised for decades and now it is part of Tamil culture."
As the debate on lifting the ban on Jallikattu continues, one common opinion that most have is the political game that is played around the sport.
"The ban on Jallikattu is not something that you remember just two weeks before Pongal. It should have been taken up long ago. It should have been first opposed when bulls were being added to the list of performing animals," said Velmurugan, a commoner.
While political parties are busy trying to project themselves as supporting the cause, the common public is feeling cheated and many are celebrating this year's Pongal festival as black Pongal.