Jallikattu, also known as Eru thazhuvuthal or Sallikkattu or Manju virattu, is a bull taming event typically practiced in Tamil Nadu as a part of Pongal celebrations on Mattu Pongal day. During Jallikattu, a running bull is released into a crowd of people. Participants attempt to grab the bull's hump and ride it for as long as possible, attempting to bring the bull to a stop. 
The Supreme Court had banned Jallikattu in 2014, saying bulls could not be used as performing animals, either for Jallikattu or for bullock-cart races. Animal activists, Federation of India Animal Protection Agencies and PETA India have protested against the practice since 2004. The Animal Welfare Board of India filed a case in the Supreme Court of India for an outright ban on Jallikattu because of the cruelty to animals and the threat to public safety involved.
In January 2017, some anonymous groups conducted a well-organised rally at Chennai Marina opposing the ban of Jallikattu.
Top Tamil film actors like Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Ajith, Suriya, Dhanush and several others also gathered at the South Indian Artistes' Association (SIAA) headquarters in Chennai for a silent protest in solidarity with the youth of Tamil Nadu who have been protesting for the conduct of jallikattu