PULIKALI

PULIKALI

Pulikali or Kaduvvakali is a two hundred year old folk dance form, practised mostly in Thrissur and Palghat districts of Kerala. It liberally makes use of forms and symbols of nature that finds expression in its bright, bold body painting and high-energy dance movements. The philosophy of Pulikali is that human and nature are integral parts of each other. So by fusing man and beast in its artistic language, it flamboyantly celebrates the connection. Pulikali performances of small scale are common in the villages and towns of Kerala. But one of its grand shows takes place during Onam, the harvest festival signifying the New Year in this region of south India. A quirky procession of vibrantly painted boys and men in the guise of tigers and panthers romp the Swaraj Road of Trichur, on the third day of Onam amid much fan fare. Pulikali is a colorful recreational folk art from the state of Kerala. It is performed by trained artists to entertain people on the occasion of Onam. The folk art is mainly practiced in Thrissur (Trichur) and Palghat districts of Kerala. Best place to watch the show is Swaraj Ground at Thrissur on the fourth day of Onam, where Pulikali troupes from all over the district assemble to display their skills.  Striking feature of this folk art is the colorful appearance of the performers. To get the semblance of a tiger artists paint themselves in bright yellow with patterns of black and red. A tiger mask on the face completes the get up.It is a painstaking job and artists spend a whole night prior to the performance day on their make-up. Patience of artists must be appreciated, as most paints contain toxic chemicals which create a burning sensation when applied on newly shaved bodies. It is a wonderful sight to see humans in the guise of tigers roaming in the streetsChildren, specifically take great delight in their performance as the entertainers dance, pounce and walk like a tiger. Scenes of tiger hunting goats and tiger being hunted by a human beings are also beautifully depicted by them. Beat for the dance movement is provided by percussion instruments like 'udukku' and 'thakil'.

Pulikkali procession regales thousands

Leaving their den, 300-odd men painted in leopard spots and tiger stripes stormed the city on Saturday evening to give a carnivalesque finish to the Onam celebrations in Thrissur.Thousands of people thronged the Swaraj Round and bylanes to watch six teams stage the pantomime-cum-parade Pulikkali. Tableaux brightened the procession.Painted in bright shades of yellow and black from head to toe, the tigers pranced about the streets.The crowds goaded the dancers to let loose their best roars and growls. In quick response, the tigers cartwheeled and somersaulted.

Pot-bellied tigers were the highlight of the show. The fatter, the merrier. Pulikkali squads hunt for fat performers as faces of tigers and leopards can be drawn well on big bellies. Some performers wore tiger masks with twinkling LED bulbs for eyes.People from outside may dismiss this as a crude belly dance.But people in Thrissur know that Onam festivities cannot be complete without Pulikkali. Even the rain that had been lashing the city for the last few days, took a break on Saturday evening.“Preparations for Pulikkali start months ahead of the event. It is important to get even the small details right,” said Baby P. Antony, secretary of the Pulikkali Coordination Committee.Painting on the body for the Pulikkali is not that easy, said 72-year-old Chathunni, the oldest Pulikkali performer in Thrissur.“Paint plugs sweat ducts. Hence, getting the body painted is torturous. But the spirit of the event inspires to stomach the pain,” Chathunni, who has been performing the Pulikkali for the last 56 years, said.Contingents from Veliyannur, Poothole, East Fort, Punkunnam, Viyyur and Mylippadam regaled onlookers. Each team staged two tableaux.The processions, each having 41 performers, entered the Swaraj Round around 4.30 p.m. The contest was judged from 4.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m.The city was immersed in carnival spirit from Friday itself. ‘Puli Chamayam’ exhibitions and ‘Pulival’ processions were held on Friday. The tiger dens were active from Friday night. Pulikkali, a traditional art form of Kerala, is said to have originated in the late 18th century. It is a street dance, with no rigid rules. Each artiste creates his own style.

Prof. John Kurakar