On Makar Sankranti this year, I saw something beautiful.I was walking around the newsroom, where producers were busy preparing for our coverage of all the celebrations for the day. I looked at our own channel- and it seemed to me that our screen had gone to black.

It took some time for me (helped by a very patient colleague) to understand the significance of the Sankranti at the Gavi- Gangadhareshwar temple in Bangalore. It is believed that on just one day every year (January 14, the summer solstice), the sun's rays pass through the horns of the Nandi bull idol, worshipped at the temple.

And as I watched- eyes widening- I saw indeed that our dark screen was lighting up - a beautiful ray from the setting sun- pierced right through Nandi's horns. In the background, a rousing crescendo of chanting from the thousands of believers gathered to watch the spectacle. My heart lifted.

But my heart sank just 2 Days later. That was the day of Kanya Pongal-the day thousands gather in villages outside Madurai to watch the Jallikattu bull-taming ritual.

For those who missed the pictures of this festival broadcast live on some channels, and certainly played and replayed through the day on most of them- let me explain.

Jallikattu is an ancient 'sport' in which young men proved their virility and prowess by single-handedly taming a bull. Coins would be tied to the horns of the bull and men would compete one by one to try and claim the coins- and the hand of their village's most beautiful women.

Today it means that hordes of men, not one, gang up to attack one poor helpless bull. They try to provoke the animals, pull the bull's tails, poke them. In many cases say animal activists, the bulls are made more aggressive by giving them alcohol- some even suggest chilli powder is rubbed on them.

Truth be told, in the face of those crowds shouting, and men jumping wildly, nothing is needed to make the bulls angry and nervous. Look into the hapless beast's eyes (though the word describes the men rather than the animal)- they are terrified and confused.

No wonder they charge, and cause stampedes. This year- 2 people were gored to death, nearly 300 injured. Last year- 9 people killed, 500 injured. In 2004 - nearly 100 injured.

How can such a dangerous ritual be called a sport? How can torturing an animal be a way to celebrate what is one of India's most wholistic, most inclusive of festivals?

How can a land that reveres the Nandi bull idol also torment the actual bull as public entertainment?