A day at the famous Kannapuram Cattle Fair near Kangeyam, the hub of purebred indigenous cattle

“look outside!” The farmer calls P Srinivasan and I move just in time to avoid a bull that was sniffing my dress. “You have to be careful here,” he laughs. The Kannapuram Mariamman Temple Cattle Festival is not your usual village fair that you stroll through carelessly. In Olapalayam, a village in Tiruppur district, 82 km from Coimbatore, Kangayam cattle herders and breeders bring their cattle to the famous annual festival to sell. People from all over Tamil Nadu, especially Madurai, Theni, Ramanathapuram, Pudukottai and Tiruchi, come to the festival for Jallikattu, agriculture and farm work as well as to buy cattle for dairy.

The animal fair is part of the temple’s Kar Utsav which lasts for 15 days. According to RP Palanikumar, a local vendor who used to be on the temple committee, the festival can be estimated to be over 1,000 years old. When we visit on the fourth day of the festival, the 70-acre farm displays more than 10,000 cattle for sale.

For the untrained, it can be quite difficult to walk through the fair, sneaking around the domineering bulls and cows. But I blend in slowly, more so when I realize that rambunctious stud bulls are usually herded away from the crowd. N Mathiyazhagan, a farmer from Periyasuriyur village in Tiruchy, has just bought a bullock for ₹1.20 lakh. The 55-year-old is a Jallikattu bull breeder, and used to slaughter bulls in his youth. “I hope he makes me proud,” he says, looking at the bull who thumps his horns at anyone who approaches him. “If he doesn’t become champion, I’ll sell him somewhere near Santai for any quoted price.

Cattlemen come from Madurai, Sivagangai, Ramnad and Pudukottai districts to buy bulls for Jallikattu and farm work, as well as milch cows and calves. , Photo Credit: Periyasamy M

People like Mathiazhagan spend several days in the festival looking for the right bull. It is common to see dhoti-clad men walking in groups from one vendor to another, sitting on plastic chairs inside makeshift enclosures. They stop to size up a potential purchase, studying its characteristics. “A strong hump, shapely horns, long tail, bulging eyes and strong overall build are indicators of a healthy bull,” explains S Mani, who has brought five bulls.

The Jallikattu bull that Mathiazhagan will take home. Photo Credit: Periyasamy M

Back home in Uthukuli, he takes care of his cattle with the help of his wife. “It’s a lot of work,” says the 63-year-old. “I start my day at 5 in the morning, and milk my cows first,” he says. “I spend the whole day outside with them: I graze them, feed them… Country cattle require dedicated care. If the pen is not clean, my cows do not eat; And they won’t let anyone near them until they wear a dhoti like mine,” he laughs.

The vendors are mostly from the Kongu region, and transport their cattle in trucks, sleeping in enclosures and cooking. They invest in calves, rear them throughout the year to bring to the festival, and sometimes go back with a few more. “When they grow up, we will sell them,” says 23-year-old M Yogesh.

M Yogesh, 23, who is among the youngest cattlemen in the event. Photo Credit: Periyasamy M

Tomato rice is being cooked nearby as vendors M Palanichamy hold talks with potential buyers K Alagar and N Raj. Algar has already bought four bulls and is looking for more. “I usually take my time; The wrong bull can bring bad luck to the house,” he says. Algar is a man of minute detail; He studies an animal by the way its hair is condition. “It is believed that a bull or cow with a whorl on its knees will drag the owner to prison,” he says.

The Kannapuram Mariamman temple cattle festival at Olapalayam near Kangayam in Tiruppur district is more than 1000 years old. Photo Credit: Periyasamy M

Some buyers, such as S Radha, are not that special. He is here for a female calf to keep another house company. “I’m looking sevlai (brown) calf,” she says. Apart from some buffaloes, some horses are also being sold this year.

The evening is drawing near, and the atmosphere is more relaxed; Families bring their children to see them. There are ice lollies sold on cycles; And sweetened coconut milk too.

Cattlemen taking cows home from the festival. Photo Credit: Periyasamy M

Cattle coats glisten when they catch the evening sun, rolling their heads around, wondering what the fuss is about. While most sellers are not enthusiastic about sending their bullocks away, 60-year-old M Thangavel is. “I spend several months in his company, it is not easy to say goodbye,” he says. That is why after handing over the rope to the new owner, he looks the other way. “I can’t see it going away,” he says. “I spend the next few days worrying whether it will be well fed in its new home.” Cattle-rearing is, at times, an exercise in letting go as a parent.