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People participate in Jallikattu despite Supreme Court ban in Alanganallure of Madurai, south Tamil Nadu, on Jan 16, 2017.IANS

It was on January 10 this year that the Tamil Nadu government declared all the 32 district of the state as "drought hit"- the announcement coming days before the harvest festival "Pongal." However, all this was lost in less than 10 days on Marina beach protestors who were hell-bent on holding the bull-taming event Jallikattu, which incidentally is part of the Pongal celebrations. 

Read: 'Stay calm,' Kamal Haasan appeals to Jallikattu protestors 

Below-average rainfall in Tamil Nadu

Skymet, the private weather forecaster, had said that the October-December rainfall (Northeast monsoon), which accounts for about 50 percent of the annual rainfall, disappointed after a delayed onset.

"Northeast monsoon has remained subdued for most of the time of the season that spans from October to December. Rainfall across Tamil Nadu still remains deficient in spite of three cyclones and numerous weather systems developing over South Bay of Bengal," Skymet said on December 27, 2016.

If the self-proclaimed custodians of farmers in the state are really worried about the agrarian crisis looming large over the state, the forecaster's concluding observation should have diverted the attention of self-appointed custodians of Tamil culture. "...with no time left and no weather system in offing, we expect the season to end on highly deficit note this year."

But common sense and wisdom did not prevail on protesters, all and sundry (college students, working class, film actors and so-called protectors of Tamil culture). 

Falling ground-water levels, rising distress

Ground-water levels have plunged to new lows, raising alarm bells. "There are no borewells in this area because if you dig one, you will hit salt water at just 25 feet below ground level," V Subramaniam, district secretary of the Tamil Nadu Farmers Union told the Scroll, referring to Nagapattinam district, one of the three worst-affected, the two being the nearby districts of Thanjavur and Thiruvarur, all part of the Cauvery delta.

In the past two months, about 144 farmers died, 50 of them were suicides, reported the wire on January 15, 2017. "Only the combination of ground water, Cauvery water and monsoon can ensure good harvest. Unfortunately all three betrayed Tamil Nadu in general and Cauvery delta in particular," S. Ranganathan of the Delta Farmers' Welfare Association told the publication."

Selling cow for funeral

The stress is alarming and already happening. A farmer's family members had to sell two cows to pay for the funeral of a family member, a few days ago, at a throwaway price. "I would have got Rs 40,000 for the two cows. But now, traders are not willing to buy from you unless you sell cheap," V Sujatha, daughter-in-law of a deceased farmer K Marimuthu told the Scroll.

How does one celebrate during a crisis, and that too of such proportions? Shouldn't matters of livelihood get priority over culture and tradition? Have politicians become so short-sighted?