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Bull tamer Arvind Raj's dream of winning the coveted Chief Minister's prize -- a car -- was razed down when he was fatally gored and flung by a raging bull at the jallikattu event at Palamedu in Madurai on Monday.
The 26-year-old construction worker, whose passion is to tame bulls, appeared unstoppable in taming nine bulls, but succumbed after he was fatally gored by a bull at the jallikattu event in the district.
Despite a bleeding injury in his abdomen, Raj clung on to the barricade at the arena and made a vain attempt to stand on his legs to take on the bull. But destiny willed otherwise.
No sooner he attempted to stand, he fell on the ground, catching the attention of fellow tamers and police on security. Immediately, the barricades were opened to allow a stretcher to pass by, Raj was placed on it and rushed to the primary health centre for first aid and later referred to the Rajaji Government Medical College Hospital in Madurai.
"He was gored in the abdomen when he attempted to embrace the 10th bull during the sport," a senior police official said.
Condoling Raj's death, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin announced a relief of Rs 3 lakh to his family.
Aravind Raj, a school drop out, had been faster than the animals and displayed a unique skill in taming 9 bulls successfully.
His name figured in the list of tamers who embraced the maximum number of bulls from among nearly 860 bulls that were released from the Vadivasal (entry point) into the arena.
His last words still echoed in the ears of his friend, also a tamer.
He left home with high hopes of winning the chief minister's prize of a car.
"The car is highly expensive for poor people like us. I must win it. That's my dream," Raj, who had studied upto ninth standard, had told his friend.
Raj has been working in the construction sector along with his mother Deivayanai.
"I had high hopes that he would win. Only recently. I had started looking for a suitable bride for him," his wailing mother said.
Asked if she had any specific demand from the state government, she said the government should provide a job to her elder son Narendra Raj, who had studied up to class ten.
The traditional bull taming sport came to a standstill briefly, when Raj was shifted out of the arena and resumed later.
Said to be an avid jallikattu participant, Raj hails from Palamedu.
The sport's popularity among the tamers can be understood from the fact that many flaunt their injury marks with pride, as a symbol of bravery in trying to tame a raging beast charging at them.
In an interaction with PTI earlier, veteran bull-tamer Mudakkathan Mani said enduring the pain is very important.
"The ability to endure pain is very important and a passion for the game and a spiritual inclination is the foundation to build endurance that makes you strong, both physically and emotionally," Mani, who had suffered fractured rib cage and broken bones over the years, had said.