12. Reading Skills Comprehension: Sorikampatti Village

By | July 14, 2021

                                Sorikampatti village

Read the following passage carefully.                                   

1 As the harvest season sets in, villagers start trickling into the temple at Sorikampatti village, 30 km from Madurai. They seek the blessings of the deity. before beginning the daily practice of Jallikattu training. The tradition of jallikattu goes back to a legend surrounding the majestic Kangayen bull, a premium local breed and a legendary bull tamer Alagu Servai. He was poisoned to death by his fellow tamers as he had never failed in a game. His story is now part of the folklore of the region. This festival is held during harvest festivities in mid-January. The sport derived its name from the term ‘salli’ meaning coins, in reference to tied to the raging bull’s horns that tamers tried to pocket in daring feats.

2 In recent years several cruel practices have crept in. The bull owner took to feeding their animals’ arrack and rubbing chilli on their bodies to make them more aggressive and the game more exciting. This had to a growing ire among animal rights bodies who have demanded an end to this cruel sport. The tussle came to an end with the Supreme Court imposing a ban on the custom of Callicutt. Earlier, in 2006, the Madras High Court bench had imposed a ban on the event citing cruelty to animals. After a long drawn out battle between the Callicutt supporters and the detractors from the Animal Welfare Board in India, in 2009, the Tamil Nadu Jallikuttu Act was passed by the state government making it compulsory that the event is held under the supervision of the district collector, superintendent of police and the Animal Welfare Board representatives.

3 While Callicutt organisers are willing to abide by the rules for holding the sport. animal rights activists maintain that irrespective of rules and regulations. the sport cannot be held without perpetrating cruelty to the animals. They claim that cruelty is an inherent element of the sport. The men who grapple with the animals claim that a Kangayen bull is bred solely for the sport. With tractors replacing the bull in the fields, there is no reason other than Jallikuttu to rear them. With the ban on the sport, it is feared that soon the breed would become extinct.

1. Answer the following questions in about 30-40 words.

(a) What is Sorikampattu? What is unique about it?

(b) What is the legend surrounding the sport?

(c) What measures have been taken to ban the sport?

(d) What is the plea taken by Callicutt enthusiasts as regards continuation of the sport?

2.Answer the following questions by choosing the correct options-

(a) The term ‘premium’ as used in the passage means ……………………….

(i) above the usual                           (ii) the only reason

 (iii) a payment                                   (iv) the chief person

(b) The word ‘aggressive’ is used in the passage to denote …..…………………..

(i) an animal that is forceful and attacking                           (ii) a situation that makes one run

(iii) an animal engaged in sport                                              (iv) a runaway animal

(c) The word ‘detractors’ in the passage refers to…………………………….

(i) users of tractors                                                                             (ii) those who find fault

(iii) those who go against the established norm                           (iv) a person with a similar viewpoint

(d) When a thing is ‘extinct’ it is………………………………

(i) intact            (ii) broken         (iii) lost forever             (iv) out of favour

Answers 1.-

(a) Sorikampattu village is a temple site, 30 km from Madurai, revered among the bull tamers of the sport of Callicutt. They come to seek the deity’s blessings as the harvest sets in, marking the start of their daily training sessions in Callicutt.

(b) The legend surrounding Jallikuttu concerns a majestic Kangayen bull, a premium local breed, and its tamer Alagu Serval. Being poisoned by his fellow tamers as he had never failed in a game. His story is now part of the regional folklore.

(c) The Supreme Court has imposed a ban on the sport. In 2006, the Madras High Court imposed a similar ban citing cruelty to animals and in 2009, the Tamil Nadu Jallikuttu Act made it obligatory to hold the sport an official presence.

(d) Callicutt supporters state that the banning will lead to the end of the rearing of the Kangayen bull an animal exclusively reared for Callicutt. Also, complying with the demands of the Tamil Nadu Jallikuttu Act makes them eligible to hold the sport.

Answer-2.

(a)  (i)                           (b)  (i)                           (c)     (iii)                      (d)   (iii)

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