Let it first be known that following a dispute over bullock-cart racing, a man from Satara was shot in June 2024. The so-called sport which involves gambling is more than just harmful to both man and animal.

Maharashtra:

Even before the July 2011 Notification upheld by SC in 2014 banning bulls from performing, animal races such as those involving oxen were illegal in India, yet certain state governments have themselves promoted bullock-cart racing, ox racing events. Not only do the poor bulls that are always over-driven suffer and get injured, but so do humans (drivers, spectators, etc.) involved in the “sport”. At least one spectator has got killed every year in Maharashtra’s bullock-cart races. But the bigwigs do not care: they stand to earn a lot of political mileage by organising events such as bullock-cart racing for the rural poor, e.g. Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation organised ones at Pune during Ganesh festival.

In 2005 in response to a request from one of our members, BWC immediately sent a telegram to Vishwasrao Naangare Patil, the then Superintendent of Police, Ahmednagar District of Maharashtra which stated: “Urgent appeal: Stop the bullock-cart-horse-cart races to be held at Bara-baabhali on 15 September at any cost. The track is uphill, the animals treated inhumanely, barbarically, in blatant violation of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. Everything is in your hands now. We have heard a lot of praise about you. Please save the animals from this hell.” The response was gratifying. Unfortunately, after the SP got promoted to another area.

Soon after, bullock-cart-cum-horse-cart races, under political patronage re-started although the SPCA of Ahmednagar had already managed to obtain an interim order banning one such race. Their original petition of 2004 before the Aurangabad Bench of the Mumbai High Court, for a complete ban, never came up for final hearing.

In fact, the BWC campaign against bullock-cart racing is decades old. In July 2009, we began collecting signatures from sympathetic rural folk. The petition in Marathi addressed to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra states that it violates section 11(1) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and the Mumbai Police Act, 1951. Races which take place often are gambling, money-making and publicity stunts that are held in the name of culture and tradition. Severe cruelty is inflicted upon the bulls. They are locked in dark rooms with red ants. They are given steroids and made to drink alcohol. They are whipped and poked in their private parts, and their tails are twisted and even bitten by humans. Not only do the bulls suffer and many die, but human spectators have been killed. The petition was read, understood and signed by over 3,000 persons from different villages of Maharashtra.

Subsequent to the July 2011 Government of India Notification adding bulls to the list of species not allowed to perform, bullock-cart races can not be held or be overlooked if held illegally, in Maharashtra. To begin with the state government issued a Shasan Paripatrak dated 24 August 2011 reiterating the ban on bullock-cart racing, etc. followed by orders by Collectors. Also, within two months, the Pune Police booked four major Ganesh mandals (Dagdusheth Halwai, Mandai, Bhau Rangari and Kasba Ganpati) for using bullocks in their immersion processions.

There was however considerable opposition to the ban on bullock-cart races from the Western Maharashtra Bullock Cart Racing Association and politicians urged farmers to revolt. Bullock-cart and even bullock-cart-cum-horse-cart races were planned to be held every few days in some part of rural Maharashtra. BWC and others were therefore alert in informing the Police in time to stop the events from taking place.

In a counter move the Government of Maharashtra issued a modified order in September 2011 stating that the ban on performances was on bulls and not bullocks. However, it back-fired because either way it did not affect racing: first, the Government of India Notification of July 2011 was specie specific, and secondly only bulls, not bullocks were being utilised for cart racing in Maharashtra. Nevertheless, a PIL was filed in the Mumbai High Court and the order dated March 12, 2012 upheld the Government of India Notification regarding Bulls, firmly declaring bullock-cart races in Maharashtra as illegal.

Earlier, a reply received under RTI Act, stated that the word “bulls” in the notification included “oxen, bullocks, cows, calves (male and female) castrated and uncastrated bulls”. Also, the Animal Welfare Board of India issued a letter to the Maharashtra State Government clarifying that the term “bulls” was generic and included bullocks and therefore the notification brought bullock-cart races under its ambit. A similar letter was sent to the Punjab State Government by the AWBI. The Deputy Commissioner, Ludhiana, on February 10, 2012, passed an order not allowing bullock-cart races at Kila Raipur. Nevertheless, a High Court Order (which the AWBI was unable to do any thing about) permitted the bullock-cart races to take place in July 2012.

There was tremendous opposition to the Notification and cases filed going up to the Supreme Court. The SC Order dated 15 February 2013 regarding bullock-cart races in Maharashtra was a setback because permission was granted to conduct the races under so-called animal welfare conditions – just like the permission has been periodically given for holding Jallikattu events. The order can be read here.

It is surprising that the Government of India Notification was legally challenged, and initially not upheld by the Courts. However, the Supreme Court judgement of 7 May 2014 turned out to be one of the best. The SC Bench of Justices K S Radhakrishnan and Pinaki Chandra Ghose stated “Jallikattu, Bullock-cart Race and such events per se violate Sections 3, 11(1)(a) and 11(1)(m)(ii) of the PCA Act and hence we uphold the notification dated 11.7.2011 issued by the Central Government, consequently, Bulls cannot be used as performing animals, either for Jallikattu events or Bullock-cart Races in the State of Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra or elsewhere in the country.” One of the 12 declarations and directions that followed was “Parliament, it is expected, will elevate rights of animals to that of constitutional rights, as done by many countries around the world, so as to protect their dignity and honour.” The judgement has been uploaded on the Legislation page of this website.

It is unfortunate that due to political patronage and lax implementation of the law, bullock-cart races continued to be illegally held in different parts of Maharashtra. However, in November 2019 at Alandi 3 persons were booked for organising bullock-cart races. At least 8 bullock-carts that were participating in the race held on a road in the forest area from Markall village to Koyali village were seen escaping as the Police approached.

In April 2023 a man who was preparing his bull for a bullock-cart race in Pune was accidentally killed when the bull’s horn impaled the man in his stomach.

After Tamil Nadu legalised Jallikattu (see below), in April 2017 the Maharashtra state Legislative Assembly passed an amendment bill to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, so that bullock-cart races could be resumed. However, it was challenged in the High Court and a stay obtained by animal activists on 11 October 2017. In response to the PIL, the HC was of the opinion that new draft Maharashtra Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (conduct of bullock-cart race) Rules, 2017, would not remove the observations of the Supreme Court judgement in which bulls were distinguished from other animals like horses which can take part in races and that bullock-cart races can not be conducted without subjecting animals to cruelty, pain and suffering. Furthermore, the HC ordered that “the bullock cart races will not be conducted within the State of Maharashtra and no such permission can be granted by any of the authorities, even after notifying the proposed rules.” To counter that bullocks are not meant for racing, the state’s Animal Husbandry Department set up a committee to study the running ability of various breeds of bulls and bullocks in comparison to horses in order to determine if a bullock can be a race animal! The panel’s report submitted in September 2018 predicatively concluded that bulls were comparable to horses and as cloven-hoofed animals they had specialised limb features which increase efficiency in running so they should be allowed to take part in bullock cart races. Earlier in December 2017 the state government had filed a special leave plea before the Supreme Court in a bid to challenge the HC order forbidding bullock-cart racing. However, experts countered that the running capacity of bullocks was not similar to horses and it was being stated in order to convince the court that bullock-cart racing was cruelty-free.

Although the above mentioned 2014 Supreme Court judgement as well as the Covid-19 restrictions prohibited bullock cart races being held, in 2020 and 2021 they continued to be frequently organised with 200-250 spectators in Ambegaon, Shirur, Junnar and Khed talukas in Pune District. These illegal events occurred thanks to the help of politicians and police who made few selective arrests. However, in July 2021 a case was registered under various laws against 12 men for illegally holding a bullock cart race at Gujarwadi near Katraj at Pune, and for assault against public servant (police constable) from discharging his duty.

Punjab:

Bullock-cart racing is the centre of attraction at the annual games or “Rural Olympics” as they are known in Kila Raipur, Punjab. Around Rs 50,000 per month is spent on feeding a single racing bull with almonds, fruits, milk, butter and ghee (canabalism?). The animals are made to practise round the year except during the monsoon. The prize money and prestige (since 2005 Rs 1 lakh is given by the government along with the Chief Minister’s citation for the best bullock-cart racer) of winning races is what the farmers focus on, yet call it their hobby!

News reports of 2011 stated that the Kila Raipur Rural Games had failed to obtain from the Centre national festival status for the “Rural Olympics”, over and above which, the Department of Tourism, Punjab had asked the event organisers to submit an utilisation certificate for a grant of Rs 12.5 lakhs which they claimed was never received!

Following the fresh Notification issued by the Ministry of Environment & Forests adding bulls as the sixth specie that “shall not be exhibited or trained as performing animals” it was announced by the Minister himself in July 2011 that bullock-cart races would no longer be allowed in rural Punjab. And, in February 2012 they were cancelled. However, it was challenged in the High Court and surprisingly the Order permitted bullock-cart races to take place in July 2012, and as mentioned above, the AWBI was unable to stop the event. Bullock-cart racing at Kila Raipur festival 2013 continued to go on with riders and bulls getting injured. 2014 was no different when a bullock was critically injured on the first day of the festival – the animal lost direction and hit an electric pole, got a shock and although taken away immediately, it was suspected to have died. In another case, when the rider lost control, a bullock fractured its front leg and was gravely injured.

Implementation of the ban posed a problem for those working for animals although the central law was on our side making bull performances illegal every where in India. Therefore, in October 2011, Beauty Without Cruelty wrote to all Chief Ministers enclosing the Government of India Notification and a copy of the Government of Maharashtra order with its English translation. In some of the letters it was specifically pointed out where and how bulls/bullocks were being used for performances. Thus, other states were urged to also issue orders to stop illegal events involving bulls.

Besides Maharashtra and Punjab, some of the states in which bull/bullock/ox -cart racing usually accompanied by betting (both illegal) occurred were:

Andhra Pradesh: races are held at Nelore.

Chhattisgarh: during Pola races are organised.

Gujarat: racing is seen at Baleswar near Surat, Mekan dada shrine at Dhang in Kutch, Drang fair at Bhuj, Tarnetar fair Chotila taluka Surendranagar, and bullock-and-horse-cart races at Masitiya village of Jamnagar district.

Karnataka: Giriyapura, Chikamagaluru district hold races.
Kambala is an annual winter farming community festival in coastal Dakshina Kannada. Pairs of tied buffalo are made to race other pairs in muddy fields. Jockeys goad the running pairs from behind.

Kerala: bull/ox race/surfing carnival is held during the Maramadi Mahotsavam festival at Anandapaly, Pathanamthitta district, at Chithali; bull races at Palakkad district, and bullock/cattle race at Kakkoor, Ernakulam district during Kalavayal or annual cattle fair. In January 2015, in blatant violation of the Supreme Court judgement, a cattle race was conducted at Karakkunnu, near Manjeri, for which the Collector had given permission. Another race was held at Muthuvalloor near Kondotty, when the police halted it but promptly left, thus indirectly enabling it to resume. However, in September 2015, a Division Bench of the Kerala High Court held that the notification issued by the Centre prohibiting the use of bulls as performing animals was applicable to Kaalapoottu, Kannupoottu and Maramadi competitions held in the state.

Tamil Nadu: the Rekla (bullock-cart) race and Jallikattu were both objected to in Court.

Uttar Pradesh: racing is seen on the Jhansi highway.

West Bengal: in some villages on Dasami day races are held.

These events had also got banned under the July 2011 Government of India Notification.

In addition to this, as stated, in Andhra Pradesh bull/bullock-cart races take place at Nellore.

Jallikattu of Tamil Nadu is a bullfight traditionally held from mid-January (Pongal harvest festival) to April although extended till July. Prize bulls with hooves filed and horns sharpened for the kill are goaded to fury and let loose on a crowd of bullfighters. It’s not a brave sport as made out, but a barbaric one in which people chase bulls and grab their horns. In fact it is a dangerous bull taming blood sport – the name Jallikattu is derived from salli (coins) and kattu (package) tied to the horns of the bulls as prize money. Though banned, Jallikattu drew huge crowds including state politicians. More often than not the event turns violent because the bulls made to drink alcohol/arak and with chilli powder sprinkled in their eyes to make them ferocious, confused by pain and fury, charge into the crowd of onlookers. Apart from one or two persons being gored to death, around a hundred are often injured during a single event. Both men and bulls suffer but more men than bulls die in this blood sport.

However, in a populist move the Tamil Nadu government appealed to the Supreme Court to vacate the stay of the Madras High Court order on Jallikattu obtained by the Animal Welfare Board of India and it was permitted for Pongal 2008. The state government of Tamil Nadu then enacted the TN Jallikattu Regulation Act, 2009. Guidelines were laid down despite which five persons having died after being gorged by bulls which proves Jallikattu is cruelty to both animals and humans. So in 2009 January, hardly a fortnight after the festival, the Supreme Court banned it by putting a stay on the grounds that the norms had been violated. Since then efforts to revive Jallikattu were on the basis that particular judges had asked the organisers to set aside Rs 2 crores as insurance cover for participants since it was estimated that Jallikattu claimed the lives of at least 10 persons every year.

Salient features of the Tamil Nadu Jallikattu Regulation Act:

January 2013: Although petitions were filed in the Supreme Court, Jallikattu did take place at Avaniapuram, Pelamedu and Alanganallur (near Madurai which is the most popular event) with so-called safeguards and was promoted and covered by TV channels. BWC wrote to the Prime Minister to take immediate and appropriate action so that the government was not seen as a weak one that was unable to uphold its own Notification. The response received said the matter was subjudice.
April 2014: In an astonishing development obviously aimed at gaining political mileage just before the Lok Sabha elections, the Ministry of Environment & Forests filed an Affidavit in SC saying that they proposed to exempt Jallikattu from the July 2011 Notification issued by them banning bulls as performing animals. However, the SC in no uncertain terms condemned the government for putting bulls to danger and stated that the court would protect them.
May 2014: The SC judgement finally upheld the Notification of July 2011 “consequently bulls can not be used as performing animals either for the Jallikattu events or bullock-cart races in the states of Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra or elsewhere in the country”. Unfortunately but unavoidably, within days for the order, Jallikattu bull rearers and tamers/veerans began selling off their bulls for slaughter.
2015 Pongal: Although no bull-fights and few cock-fights took place in Tamil Nadu, in Andhra Pradesh at least two Jallikattu events were illegally held, one of which was in Tirupathi. This happened despite a reiterated Supreme Court ruling couple of days earlier on 12 January 2015.
2016 Pongal: The Centre amended the Notification of July 2011 permitting Jallikattu. The Supreme Court granted a stay just in time. By April in places such as Palamedu, Alanganallur, Avaniapuram, Pudukkottai, Tiruchy, Thanjavur and Dindigul where Jallikattu had been traditionally held, people felt that it was a bad omen and were suffering from ill fate with no rain. They therefore held pujas/yagnams to oust evil spirits and also fed eagles. 20 villages of Dindigul area decided to boycott the TN assembly polls in protest against the inability of political parties to obtain permission to conduct Jallikattu.
2019 Pongal: On 13 January 2019 two spectators (32 and 35 years old) were gored to death at a mega Jallikattu event held at Viralimalai in Pudukottai district of TN. But what mattered to the organisers and participants was that the event made it to the Guinness Book of World Records because the maximum 1,353 bulls participated.
2020 Pongal: The year saw 5 deaths and over 100 injured in 3 days. More than 900 tamers registered for Alanganallur Jallikattu.
2021 Pongal: Amid Covid-19, the new rules only allowed participation of 300 tamers and 150 races to be held. The well-known events in Madurai District were held at Avaniapuram, Palamedu and Alanganallur one day after another. At Alanganallur, the biggest Jallikattu, a youth who was gored by a bull, died.
2022 Pongal: Despite rapidly surging Covid-19 cases, Tamil Nadu continued conducting Jallikattu by restricting participation to 300 bulls and 150 spectators. An 18-year old spectator was gored to death by a bull and 59 persons (including tamers, bull owners and spectators) were injured at Avaniyapuram in Madurai district. Also at Navalur Kuttapattu village near Trichy, a 24-year old spectator and 29-year old bull owner were gored to death. The owner’s bull attacked him while being led into the arena.
2023 Pongal: At least 75 persons were injured during Jallikattu held at Avaniyapuram and 34 sustained injuries at Palamedu. 2 persons were killed in separate Jallikattu events. The Chief Minister announced a compensation of Rs 3 lakh each for their families. However, the CM also gave away a car and two-wheelers as prizes to the 3 best tamers; whereas the owner of best bull was given a car and the second a cow. It is sad that Jallikattu has political patronage and since May 2023 Supreme Court permission.

2024 Pongal: A 27-year old man was gored to death by is own Jallikattu bull in Madurai district when he took the animal for a walk as was his daily practice. Also, a 13-year old boy was among 3 spectators gored to death by raging bulls at Jallikattu events organised in two districts of TN as part of extended Pongal celebrations.  

New Notification Stayed by Supreme Court

A few days prior to Pongal in January 2016, via an amended Notification (can be read here) issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, the existing ban on Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu and bullock-cart races in Maharashtra and other states was lifted (obviously a pre-election sop) in contravention of the May 2014 Supreme Court judgement prohibiting bulls from being used for performances. It was bad enough that the Government had not yet granted legal rights to animals as advised in the judgement, but reintroducing such cruel bull performances was shocking beyond words. Animal activists legally challenged the notification and thank goodness a stay was granted by the Supreme Court on January 12, 2016.

Later in July a bench of two justices Dipak Misra and RF Nariman of the Supreme Court stated “Just because the sport is centuries-old, it can’t be said that it’s legal or permissible under law. Since centuries children below the ages of twelve years were married. Does that mean that child marriage is legal?” They added that if the parties are able to convince the court that its earlier judgement was wrong, it may refer the matter to a larger bench. 16 November 2016 was the final hearing of the matter to decide on the constitutional validity of Jallikattu when the SC rejected Tamil Nadu’s plea seeking reconsideration of the verdict. In December 2016 the SC had reserved the judgement on a clutch of petitions received.

In May 2023 a 5-Judge Bench of the Supreme Court upheld the amendments made by the legislatures of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Maharashtra to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, allowing bull-taming sports like jallikattu, kambala (buffalo race) and bullock cart races.

It was Tamil Nadu first, and then Karnataka, followed by Maharashtra state who had legally objected to the 2014 Supreme Court order banning bull performances.

In December 2021 the Supreme Court had observed with regard to the case pertaining to Maharahstra “that the validity of the provisions of the state amendments in the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and the Rules framed thereunder by the State ought to operate during the pendency of the writ petition. The entire matter in relation to similar amendments made by the State of Tamil Nadu and State of Karnataka is now referred to the Constitution Bench, including to consider the question whether these amendment Acts (of State of Tamil Nadu) overcome the defects pointed out in the two judgements of this Court. Similar question would arise in these writ petitions and transferred case from Maharashtra concerning the provisions of State of Maharashtra. Hence, these writ petitions be heard along with write petitions pertaining to the State of Tamil Nadu and State of Karnataka.”

The matter was referred to a Constitution Bench.

In February 2024, animal activists got the Animal Husbandry Department, Punjab, to register a case for violation of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act at Gujjarwal against the organisers of a rural sports fair thus stopping bullock cart races from being held.

In view of this SC order, in December 2021 plans were afoot to hold bullock cart races in Maharashtra after a gap of 8 years so over 700 owners had registered for the races and hefty cash prizes with gold had been declared for winners. However, the Pune District Collector citing the growing number of Covid and Omricon positive cases suddenly cancelled the races in the district. The cancellation order was issued only a night prior to the 1 January 2022 events for which preparations had been made at Nanoli village in Maval tehsil and at Chinchowodi village in Ambegaon tehsil. However, they were held in February with thousands attending. Earlier on 4 January 2022 a race was held in Nangole village in Kavathe Mahankal taluka of Sangli District. Covid appropriate behaviour was not abided by and thousands attended and gathered together to watch this bullock cart race and at other races that were held elsewhere later. In order to attract a bigger crowd at the bullock cart race in Pune during April 2022 the organisers introduced 4 nauvari saree clad cheerleaders, however, it attracted considerable criticism.

Meanwhile in view of Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) spreading in the state the Maharashtra government in September 2022 issued a notification prohibiting cattle races, markets, exhibition, transport, etc.

In December 2022, over three years after the Maharashtra state government issued a gazette notification (August 2017) regarding resumption of bullock cart races in the state, police closed nearly 104 cases out of the 260 registered cases ever since the ban had come into effect.

Then in January 2023 as a part of the annual Shri Kalubal Yatra around 500 bullock carts from several districts of Maharashtra participated in the races. There were a total of 40 rounds, semi-finals and finals, covering the entire day from 8 am to 7 pm.

Following the May 2023 ban being lifted in Maharashtra, bull thefts rose, e.g. 5 bulls were stolen in Shirur.

About 2,000 years ago Jallikattu was recorded in ancient Dravidian literature as Eru Thazhuvuthal (also called Manju Virattu). The annual event held on the third day of the four-day Pongal harvest festival has also been recorded during the third century during the Pandya rule, long before the bull fights began in Spain. The name Jallikattu is derived from the words salli kasu. Salli means coins, and kasu is a bundle or pouch. It is made of yellow cloth, filled with coins, and tied to the bull’s horns. The winner who got hold the pouch containing the prize money was selected as the bridegroom for the daughter of the owner of the bull for having tamed the bull with his bare hands by grabbing its horns or tail and wrestling it to submission. Although grossly dangerous for both man and bull, the Tamil Nadu government citing traditional/cultural pride and under the guise of tourism, supports Jallikattu particularly in the region known as the Jallikattu belt – Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, Theni, Pudukkottai and Dindigul districts – obviously for political gain from rural areas.

For 3 long years there was a fast growing movement of youth in support of Jallikattu which was projected as part of Tamil culture and identity along with local breeds of roosters and pigeons. Unfortunately, it was not nipped in the bud or counteracted by a movement in support of the ban on Jallikattu.

Then in January 2017, following some arrests for illegally holding Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu, a mass uprising took place on Marina Beach in Chennai. Lakhs of persons converged on the beach and demanded that Jallikattu be allowed immediately because it was a vital part of Tamil culture. It was quite clear that the uprising termed a spontaneous protest without visible leadership was triggered by Jallikattu but was basically for restoring Tamil pride that had taken a beating over the years and that they were fed up with political agendas and impositions.

Although they refused to give up, animal activists did not think the state government with the support of the centre would go against earlier SC rulings and pass an ordinance legalising Jallikattu by treating it as a traditional sport.

On the first day of the event 2 youths were gored to death by raging bulls (210 had been let loose in the arena) and 174 were injured with 32 being hospitalised of which one died. Moreover one person died due to dehydration. One wonders if it is worth risking life and limb for a package of coins tied to the bull’s horns? Bull-taming involves cruelty inflicted upon the bull, but it is worse for humans because it can turn gravely injurious and fatal for the man who is unable to tame the bull.

Initially the Centre had requested the SC to delay issuing the judgement, but after the TN Assembly passed the Jallikattu Bill, the Centre moved the SC to withdraw its January 2016 notification which was the basis of the SC case.

Also, a day after challenging TN’s law as a fraud on the Indian Constitution, shockingly the Animal Welfare Board of India withdrew its case in the Supreme Court.

Two days later the Chief Minister of TN said that anti-national, anti-social and extremist elements had infiltrated the Jallikattu protests. If so, one wonders why these evil forces were not removed immediately instead of giving in and lifting the ban on Jallikattu.

The last bullfight in Catalonia took place on 25 September 2011.

Meanwhile in April 2023 Spain banned Dwarf Bullfighting events featuring dwarves dressed in costumes, a decision applauded by disability rights groups but condemned by performers. Dwarves in Spain have long dressed as fire-fighters or clowns to chase bulls without killing them in order to be humorous.