Running Of The Bulls
Running of the bulls or Sam Fermin is a famous game in which people of Pamplona run before and after the bull, it is second most favorite game of Spanish people after the bullfighting in Spain. The running of the bulls’ festival is played in streets of Pamplona, the festival starts form 6th July and celebrated till midnight of 14th July. The festival is celebrated with many activities, local musical concerts, local food sales, local products, handy crafts of Pamplona. As Pamplona is very old city so it has many things to share with people from the other world. San Fermin is the most renowned festival and become a symbol of pride for Spain in front of other countries.
The main idea for the San Fernim festival is to tribute and cherishes Saint Fermin of Pamplona and Navarre. The history of running of the bull festival starts form 15th century when shepherds of neighboring areas of Pamplona came to the street of Pamplona for selling their bulls for bullfighting. They spent their night in the streets of Pamplona. At the time of dawn some people tried to mischief these shepherds and they opened the knot of their bull and beat them with skit or made some cries in front of the bull in order to frighten it. As a result bull ran in the street and people also ran with the bulls before the shepherd caught it again and took it to the arena of bullfighting. Although running with the bulls is considered as a dangerous game but people from all over the Spain willingly took part in the game and enjoy a lot by running with bulls.
The festival is started early in the morning when 5 to 6 bulls were opened for race, bull runners enter the race form many places and they have to take the bulls in old streets which was reserved for running of bulls. One of the most famous running of the bulls streets is Santo Domingo street which was used for the running if bull first time. It is a narrow street which is famous for butchers. As the bulls which were opened for race in the morning were killed or slaughter in night on that street. Before the start of running with the bull, runners sing songs of saint in front of the adorned statue of saint then the bulls are taken in to the burling by the fire of rocket the race starts. It ends with the fire of second rocket. As running of bulls is considered a wild game which has no hard and fast rules but with the increase in accidents the government of Spain have introduced certain regulation about the running of the bull.
Official running of the bull rules include:
1. Under eighteen years people are not allowed to take part in the race.
2. Climbing over the boundaries and fences are not allowed and considered it as a wrong activity.
3. Hiding in dead ends, doorways or any other place by which has no potential to save you from bull is forbade because once a person caught in horns of bulls he might get severe injury by the bull so always select good placed for dodging the bull.
4. Carrying of tools or other thing just like cloth piece is not allowed.
5. Drinkers are not allowed to take part in the game and even they are not allowed to see so the use of wine is strictly forbidden.
There are many sites dedicated to bull run which give many facts of running of the bulls, coverage of resent event, pictures of running of bulls, precaution about running, activities in Pamplona, harm done in running with the bulls, stories about accidents, travel information etc.
