Pulikali

Understand

Where Pulikali comes from

Pulikali (literally 'dance of the tiger') is a recreational folk-art of Kerala, performed during the annual Onam harvest festival. The origin of the form dates back over 200 years to the reign of the Maharaja of Cochin — Sakthan Thampuran is traditionally credited with founding the modern Pulikali in 1886. The performance revolves around the theme of tiger hunting, and on the fourth day of Onam (Naalaam Onam or chathayam) performers painted like tigers and leopards in bright yellow, red and black shake their bellies and dance to the beats of the chenda drum and chengila cymbal. On the fourth day of Onam in Thrissur, Pulikali troupes from all over the district assemble at the Swaraj Round to display their skills, attracting thousands of spectators.

How it's practiced

Pulikali is performed by troupes (each with 20-30 members) whose performers have their bodies painted from head to toe in bright yellow, red and black stripes and spots to resemble tigers and leopards. The painting process takes 4-6 hours per performer and is done by specialist face-and-body painters in the days before Onam. On the day, performers dance in loose tiger-like postures — shaking the belly, leaping, crouching and stalking — to the heavy beats of the chenda drum and the bright clatter of the chengila. Costume is the painted skin itself; the dancers wear simple loin-cloths under the paint. The procession wends through the streets of Thrissur to the Swaraj Round, where the troupes perform together.