Tourists, locals flock Auroville for Manju Virattu

Cattle, bulls, cows and calves from surrounding villages participating in the Manju Virattu at Auroville near Puducherry on Saturday.
| Photo Credit:
KUMAR SS

Cattle, bulls, cows and calves from surrounding villages participating in the Manju Virattu at Auroville near Puducherry on Saturday.
| Photo Credit:
KUMAR SS

Large number of people, including foreign tourists gathered at Kuilapalayam, a village near Auroville, on Saturday to watch Manju Virattu or bull race, an annual event held as part of three-day Pongal festivities.

A festive spirit permeated the local Ellai Pidariamman temple as crowds gathered to watch the bull race. The race commenced after pujas were performed at the temple. The deity was brought in a procession to the place where cattle, including bulls, cows and calves from the surrounding villages were lined up for the race.

The bulls were let loose and made to run through the streets while enthusiastic crowds cheered and clicked photographs. Unlike Jallikattu, Manju Virattu does not involve taming of bulls in any form, said one of the organisers of the event.

Beach draws crowd

The Beach Promenade, Bharathi Park, Botanical Garden and the temples in Puducherry town also drew large number of people, especially villagers, on Saturday evening to celebrate the occasion of Kaanum Pongal. Police personnel were deployed in large numbers to regulate traffic.