SSC
Jallikattu, the famous bull-taming sport held during Pongal, belongs to which state?
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Answer: Option C — Tamil Nadu
Detailed Solution
Jallikattu is a traditional bull-taming sport of Tamil Nadu. It is held during the harvest festival of Pongal in January, especially on Mattu Pongal, the day dedicated to cattle. The most famous Jallikattu events are held in the villages of the Madurai district, such as Alanganallur, Palamedu and Avaniyapuram.
In Jallikattu, a bull is released from an enclosure into an open arena, and young men try to hold on to the bull's hump for a certain distance or time, or to grab a bundle tied to its horns, while the bull tries to escape. The bulls used, especially native breeds such as the Pulikulam and Kangayam, are specially reared and trained for the sport, and owners take great pride in them. The name Jallikattu comes from "salli kasu" (coins) and "kattu" (tied), referring to a bundle of coins tied to the bull's horns as a prize for the person who tames it. The sport is very old and is mentioned in ancient Tamil Sangam literature as "eru thazhuvuthal" (embracing the bull). It is regarded as a symbol of Tamil culture and of the protection of native cattle breeds.
Jallikattu has also been controversial because of concerns about cruelty to animals and injuries to participants. In 2014, the Supreme Court banned the sport. After large public protests in Tamil Nadu in January 2017, the state passed a law to allow Jallikattu with safety rules, and in 2023 the Supreme Court upheld the laws of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Maharashtra permitting such sports.
Similar traditional sports in other states include Kambala (buffalo race in Karnataka) and bullock cart races in Maharashtra.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Karnataka is known for Kambala, the buffalo race in the paddy fields.
- ✗Kerala is known for the snake boat races (Vallam Kali).
- ✗Maharashtra is known for bullock cart races.
Quick tip
Remember: Jallikattu = Tamil Nadu, Mattu Pongal, Alanganallur (Madurai) and the Sangam term "eru thazhuvuthal". Kambala = Karnataka.
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Festivals & Fairs of India — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Festivals & Fairs of India, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the religious, harvest, tribal and cultural festivals of India, the fairs (melas) held across the country, and the states, communities and seasons linked to them. It also includes festivals listed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage, such as Kumbh Mela and Durga Puja in Kolkata. Most questions ask which state celebrates a festival, which tribe it belongs to, or what event it marks. Harvest festivals are especially common: Pongal (Tamil Nadu), Onam (Kerala), Bihu (Assam), Lohri and Baisakhi (Punjab) and Nuakhai (Odisha). Fairs such as the Pushkar camel fair (Rajasthan) and the Sonepur cattle fair (Bihar) are also frequently tested. Revise festivals state by state. Practise the festivals and fairs questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.