Folk art Pulikali Tiger dance KeralaPulikali festival held on the 4th day of Onam celebration mainly in Thrissur town of Kerala. Puli Kali 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. This is a 200 year old art, carefully preserved by the artists of the state. Literal meaning of Pulikali is the 'play of the tigers' hence the performances revolve around the theme of tiger hunting. This folk art performed in many parts of Kerala but PuliKali is held at Thrissur is a major tourist attraction of the district and it attracts many locals and outsiders to who come to witness it
Puli Kali, the event takes place at the Swaraj Round in Thrissur district of Kerala. Pulikali, or the fun and frolic of tigers, is an event that has become synonymous with the festival of Onam in Kerala. The tigers are not real ones but men dressed and painted as tigers.
As part of the performance, groups of local men would have their bodies and faces painted to resemble tigers. Apart from the true colours of a tiger, one would also come across other colours and patterns and even the facial features of lion on the bodies of performers. The make-up is time-consuming and it is quite a labour to undo the make-up, which is mostly done with oil paints. The theme of the performance is playing hide-and-seek with a hunter wielding a gun. The event generates a great deal of excitement both for the spectators from near and far and for the performers.
Getting there:
Nearest railway station: Thrissur, about a kilometer.
Nearest airport: Cochin International Airport, about 58 km from Thrissur.
Disclaimer
In Kerala, festival dates are decided in accordance with the Malayalam calendar and the local traditions and customs. We have calculated the festival dates based on these. But there can be changes in the dates according the customs and rituals associated with each place of worship. As such, these should be considered only as approximate dates and have to be confirmed with the local authorities.
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