Following days of protests, Tamil Nadu has passed a new bill allowing Jallikattu – a controversial bull-taming sport that is central to the harvest festival.

In 2014, the Supreme Court banned Jallikattu on the grounds of animal cruelty. Animal rights activists say that the practice causes stress to the bulls as they are released into a crowd and try to fend off people that try to ride them. However, the government temporarily lifted the ban on Saturday.

On Monday thousands of protestors remained in Chennai and refused to leave the city’s Marina beach. The state-wide demonstrations have been perceived as the people of Tamil Nadu's most significant and prolonged act of protest against the central government in recent years. 

Several vehicles were set on fire and acts of arson, as well as police violence against protestors were reported throughout the state.

Many hold that Jallikattu is an important part of their cultural heritage, while also preserving the native breed of bulls. There has been public support for Jallikattu by most state ministers as well as high profile Tamil celebrities and politicians.

The issue has seen solidarity protests throughout the Tamil speaking world, including in Jaffna, Batticaloa and Colombo.

The state governor and India’s President must sign the bill in order for it to become law.

^{Photograph: New Indian Express}