Last few days Tamil Nadu has been seeing protest across the state in support of Jallikattu (Sallikattu - it is actually taking the coins that are tied to the horns of the bulls, that was the main objective of the sport). The main reason in support is that we will lose the entire breed of stud bulls.
What many of the supporters argue is that the Stud bulls if Jallikattu is not held would be sent to slaughter house immediately after birth. This will lead to the extinction of the entire breed and then we have to import bulls for reproduction.
The bulls were earlier used for farming and as bullock carts. With more mechanized farming and trucks being used for transportation the usage of bulls have reduced drastically. Now they are primarily used for reproduction.
What I am surprised is that people are willing to accept this reason. This argument is same as justifying female foeticide. The reasons that were given for female foeticide were financial reasons - getting them married, giving dowry, etc. Now same is being given as the reason for not raising bulls - they don't give anything in return except help in reproduction whereas a cow gives milk. The main reason why people are using this line of argument is is to dramatize the whole issue.
The main reason for giving away bulls for slaughtering is definitely not stopping Jallikattu it is because their usage in farming and bullock carts has stopped. Just saying that what was followed for long has to be followed even now will not get you so much support (people will talk about child marriage, sati, etc. as counter argument), only dramatization of the issue will ensure maximum support.
What some people argue is that even if what Peta argued is true in terms of putting irritants into the eyes of bull, forcing bulls to drink alcohol, poking them with sharp substances during Jallikattu, the farmers are the ones who take care of them for the other 364 days. This is the most absurd argument that you can hear, why is it that the farmer who has been taking care of the bull for 364 days cannot properly care for them one more day? Also is this some kind of a black Friday for the farmers where they are able to turn profitable in a day?
The other argument is that drinking the milk from a cow which mated with foreign bulls will cause cancer, why drink milk in the first place? Stop drinking milk if you think it will cause cancer.
Just because someone supports Peta which spearheaded the campaign doesn't mean all Peta ambassadors should be maligned. What happened to some of the actors is completely unacceptable.
I am not against Jallikattu. Like it happened couple of years back lay down proper rules which has to be followed. No irritants in the eyes of the bulls, no poking them with sharp equipment, no biting of the tails, no forcing alcohol down the throats of the bulls and only one person catching each bull at a time. Ensure all these and conduct Jallikattu.
What many of the supporters argue is that the Stud bulls if Jallikattu is not held would be sent to slaughter house immediately after birth. This will lead to the extinction of the entire breed and then we have to import bulls for reproduction.
The bulls were earlier used for farming and as bullock carts. With more mechanized farming and trucks being used for transportation the usage of bulls have reduced drastically. Now they are primarily used for reproduction.
What I am surprised is that people are willing to accept this reason. This argument is same as justifying female foeticide. The reasons that were given for female foeticide were financial reasons - getting them married, giving dowry, etc. Now same is being given as the reason for not raising bulls - they don't give anything in return except help in reproduction whereas a cow gives milk. The main reason why people are using this line of argument is is to dramatize the whole issue.
The main reason for giving away bulls for slaughtering is definitely not stopping Jallikattu it is because their usage in farming and bullock carts has stopped. Just saying that what was followed for long has to be followed even now will not get you so much support (people will talk about child marriage, sati, etc. as counter argument), only dramatization of the issue will ensure maximum support.
What some people argue is that even if what Peta argued is true in terms of putting irritants into the eyes of bull, forcing bulls to drink alcohol, poking them with sharp substances during Jallikattu, the farmers are the ones who take care of them for the other 364 days. This is the most absurd argument that you can hear, why is it that the farmer who has been taking care of the bull for 364 days cannot properly care for them one more day? Also is this some kind of a black Friday for the farmers where they are able to turn profitable in a day?
The other argument is that drinking the milk from a cow which mated with foreign bulls will cause cancer, why drink milk in the first place? Stop drinking milk if you think it will cause cancer.
Just because someone supports Peta which spearheaded the campaign doesn't mean all Peta ambassadors should be maligned. What happened to some of the actors is completely unacceptable.
I am not against Jallikattu. Like it happened couple of years back lay down proper rules which has to be followed. No irritants in the eyes of the bulls, no poking them with sharp equipment, no biting of the tails, no forcing alcohol down the throats of the bulls and only one person catching each bull at a time. Ensure all these and conduct Jallikattu.
Sallikattu is not only mere a sport, it's a culture. When we say culture, across the globe you know, culture is related to the region, people's practice, lifestyle, etc. We are keep losing many as we forget or not interested in knowing or due to lack of knowledge transfer of our own, long lasting practices. Cattle is an integral part of farming., as you know. Already our farming went for toss, due to various reasons. Any living being would be active, healthy when it have good care / playful. Would it be true, if an article says bulls will go to slaughter house, if sallikattu banned? This ban would suppress the count of bulls , not immediately but in a few decades. Because, the next generation would lost the purpose and benefits of maintaining bulls, which leads to gradual and significant reduction. People are showing their agitation against those who try to ban, not only against specific person/association/organization. We cannot compare this with coca cola ban, on health context. This drink is hazardous as we know, no one will be asked to drink coke compulsory. Remember, no one has the right to say not to drunk milk. But, this ban includes, huge business moto from international firms and racist behavior on specific region. Why one should dramatize their our culture? Since our ancestors see the values in maintaining bulls and involving them in activities, it became part of the culture. So there is no point I could see of comparing this will female foeticide. If you are looking for meat, go ahead and have. But, don't use slaughter house for export which has the huge impact on eco system.
ReplyDeleteThe count of bulls will go down because their usage has reduced.. Not just because of the ban on jallikattu.. The people just give it away for slaughter as they cannot maintain a bull which doesn't yield them anything financially. As far as I know there is nothing to gain for the farmers if their bull participates in the event. In earlier days it was the owner who has to tie the "salli kattu (coin bag)" on the horns of the bulls which will be taken by the people taming it. Also one day event is not going to help them in any way in terms of keeping their bulls healthy.
DeleteWhen people have the right to say don't drink coco-cola you can also say don't drink milk. What is wrong in that?
Answer why this event being banned alone will cause the bulls to become extinct? Your answer will give you the answer to the question as to why I compared this with female foeticide.
Hope this helps in understanding better...
ReplyDeleteHow does Jallikattu help in their preservation and what is in it for native breeders. After seeing Senapathy's replies in an interview and Raja Manickam answer's, Jallikattu is not just important from a cultural point of view but is more important from a farmer's point of view as it helps in preservation of native breeds. Here is my summary of how it helps. It is a long read but it will help the majority of those youngsters who are seeking such answers themselves and would enable them to be in a better position to defend the practice.
A little bit of background is necessary before understanding this.
ReplyDeleteThere are two types of beta-casein protein which are the dominant casein proteins in cow's milk: A1 and A2 protein. Initially all cows produced milk rich in A2 protein. But 5000 years back when migration started happening to Europe, a genetic mutation caused cattle taken to Europe to produce milk where both A1 and A2 protein were present in approximately equal amounts or where A1 protein dominated. Most of the breeds in Europe, US and Australia produce milk rich in A1 protein while native breeds in Asia and Africa produce milk rich in A2 protein. But after effects of colonization and artificial insemination caused these differences to disappear and interbreeding of cattle resulted in cows' milk in Asia and Africa to also have both proteins. But pure breeds (ones with A2 milk) still do exist in Asia and Africa.
Scientific research has established the differences in the way the human digestive system (and digestive enzymes) processes these two proteins. The digestive enzymes react to these proteins very differently. Based on these differences, many research articles have arrived at the conclusion (not established beyond reasonable doubt) that A1 milk protein could be the cause for various chronic diseases like type-1 diabetes and so on. There exists research to the contrary as well i.e. there is no correlation between A1 protein and chronic diseases. But the majoritarian view at the moment is that A2 milk is more beneficial than A1 milk. Here is a link to one such research paper (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3475924/).
ReplyDeleteThere is one more important point to be made here. When we interbreed a bull and a cow (and if one or both of them were an offspring of a cow that produced milk rich in A1 protein) then the new offspring will also have this trait. It has been scientifically proven that the gene which causes cows to produce milk rich in A1 protein is a dominant gene and hence all offsprings will also have this trait.
Now how does Jallikattu help in the process? The bulls used for mating need to be virile. During the mating season (which is typically after Pongal), these bulls need to be at the top of their game i.e. they must be secreting all the necessary male hormones, experience adrenaline rush and also a fast beating heart. This is where Jallikattu comes in picture. The time when the bull is released from the Vaadi Vaasal (the small narrow gate from which the bulls are released) and till the time it manages to reach the other end (if it is not subdued) causes it to experience a great adrenaline rush which then boosts it's testosterone levels and also keeps its heart beating at a rate faster than normal levels. This increases their virility and this is one of the most fundamental of all necessities for selective breeding. Can this be done without an activity like Jallikattu? Possibly but then the number of matings a bull can accomplish decreases significantly. Jallikattu helps in increasing this which is of utmost importance to a farmer's wellbeing. Also because artificial insemination is not adapted for native breeds, the banning of an event like Jallikattu will lead to these native breeds getting destroyed which would then force our hands to rely on artificial insemination the very process which the farmers shunned to begin with.
ReplyDeleteIn places where events like Jallikattu are not held, the male calves (which are essentially useless unless there is demand for tasks like ploughing) are slaughtered. but in places where Jallikattu is held, these calves are held on to for the purpose of showcasing them and establishing their superiority.
Mr. Jeevan - There is nothing wrong in sharing others view but you should first read it. The article and the link within it (from the ncbi website) clearly states that the so called A1 and A2 milk differences is just an hypothesis which need more research to prove it. I can also claim any hypothesis unless proven what is the point?
DeleteSecondly do you think the moment a bull completes its run in the jalikattu event it straight aways goes to the collection area where it starts mating with all the cows waiting for it? As per the chronological order, after the jalikattu these bulls are sought after and mating happens.. I don't think the increase in levels of adrenaline will have impact for so long on their male harmones.
Third and most importantly as you said male calves are given for slaughter in many places if not for jalikattu. Jalikattu has been banned for only 2 years, as being claimed by the Jalikattu protest committee the number of native breeds have come down from over 150 to 37. Do you think this extinction of native breeds happened only because of Jalikattu. The main reason is they had no use if not for ploughing, as more and more farmers have moved on to tractors (as the availability of manual labor for farming has reduced drastically) the usage of bulls have gone down. That is the reason for the extinction of the native breeds and definitely not jalikattu ban.