Jallikattu as Heroic Sport and Temple Tradition: Its Association with the Mariamman Festival at Narththamalai in Pudukkottai District

Abstract

Since the early formation of Tamil pastoral and agrarian society, cattle have served as sources of wealth, labour, status, and ceremonial value. The bull in particular came to embody strength, valour, fertility, and public prestige in the cultural life of the Tamil region. This paper deals with Jallikattu as a heroic sport and studies its association with the Mariamman temple at Narththamalai in Pudukkottai district. It traces the historical background of the sport through Sangam literary references, early Tamil traditions, inscriptional materials, and local ritual practice. In addition, it looks at the role of the bull in the Mullai landscape and in the life of the Ayar community, where cattle shaped livelihood, honour, and kinship. The paper also examines the cultural meanings attached to bull-taming, especially in relation to courage, masculine worth, marriage, and communal recognition. It further studies the incorporation of Jallikattu into the annual Mariamman festival cycle at Narththamalai, including Puchchoriyal, Kappukkattu, and the car festival. This paper attempts to trace the continuity, adaptation, and ceremonial survival of Jallikattu as a living expression of Tamil heroism, village religion, and regional cultural memory.