Forget the danger and the strength of the bulls. These bull tamers would not back down from injuries or strong bulls to keep their culture alive.

The sight of a searing bull exiting the Vadivasal at full speed is a spine-chilling moment. The bulls that storm out with thick horns and massive bodies are nothing less than missiles freshly out of launchers. But despite the danger of losing their lives to these bulls, bull tamers who dare to win against the bulls feel that injuries are medals gifted by the bulls.

The prizes offered by the Jallikattu organising committee are trivial household objects like steel wardrobes, wire cots, steel drums or mixer grinders that cannot justify putting one’s life on the line.

“This is our culture. Our ancestors have been doing this for centuries and this is a way of life,” says Sooravali Suresh, who has been involved in bull taming for nearly 20 years.

A member of the Jallikattu Peravai, Suresh, who has retired, like many famous bull tamers carries a nickname ‘Sooravali’ in memory of his bull that died recently.

Certain things are beyond numbers for bull tamers. Those include the number of Jallikattu events attended, the number of bulls tamed and the number of injuries on their bodies.

“We do not keep count. I myself have tamed more than 16 bulls in a single Jallikattu in Keelapatti and have tamed infinite number of bulls in my life. The memories I bring from each event are the injuries I have. I have more than 25 stitches in my private parts and plenty more throughout my body,” says Modakathan Mani, a 30-year-old bull tamer from Madurai.

Virumandi Pugazh Moorthy, who was Kamal Hassan’s stand-in in the movie “Virumandi,” also shares how his vocal cord was forever altered after a bull gored his throat.

“Injuries are inevitable in this field and we enter the arena with fear each time. But it never keeps us away,” says Moorthy.

However, notably, bull tamers get ample practice before each event so that they are able to evade the bull’s horns. “We use certain techniques to maintain a fair distance from the horns,” says another bull tamer.

The families of the bull tamers are not so happy with their activity, yet they accept it. “My parents have beaten me so many times ever since I got into the sport at 16. Even that did not stop me,” states Suresh, who also says the sport runs is his blood.

“My son is two years old and I never take him to see bulls. But he himself does not eat unless we show him Jallikattu videos,” he adds.

During the event, it is friends who support these tamers. “We enter the arena with courage because of friends who support us. If they are not there, we feel as if we’re in danger,” says Moorthy.