Thirssur’s hallmark street pageant pulikkali will unfurl in all its carnival spirit on Saturday.
Though there is fewer number of participating groups this time, the festival spirit is still high. Tiger dens are brimming with activities.
Human tigers, mostly with their dancing pot bellies, will prance around the city streets. Bigger the bellies, happier the painters. When they indulge in the feral dance with the rustic beats of drums, their huge bellies painted with tiger faces, will also vibrate rhythmaticaly, giving varied expressions to the tiger faces.
The pulikkali was cancelled last year following the floods. Considered as Thrissur’s own street festival, pulikkali will bring down the curtain on the Onam celebrations here.
Earlier sidelined as an obscene street event, pulikali was recognised as one of the main events of the Onam celebrations, after a set of rules were implemented by the authorities.
It was Shakthan Thampuran who introduced pulikkali, around two centuries ago, as the street art form with the tiger-hunt theme for the Onam celebrations.
If there were 18 teams to participate in the event a decade ago, it has come down to six this time. Funds shortage is the major crisis faced by the event. Most of teams are struggling to make ends meet as the expenses go up. Many well-known teams have withdrawn form the scene over a period.
While Thrissur Pooram is managed by cash-rich Devaswoms, pulikkali is managed by youngsters who want to preserve the dying art form. Everything has become expensive, from paint and thinner to fiber to make masks and dresses, they lament.
People from all religions will participate in the event, showcasing religious harmony. Around 300 tigers of six teams will leave the dens and roam around the city accompanied with rustic drums.
Viyyur Desam, Kottapuram Centre, Thrikkumarakudam Desam,Viyyur Centre, Kottappuram Desam, and Ayyanthole Desam are the six teams.
Viyyur Desam, which introduced tigresses for the first time two years back, demolishing the 200-year-old male dominance in pulikkali, is introducing three tigresses this time too. Thrikkumarakudam Desam will come up with three tiger cubs under the age five.
The team Ayyanthole stands out with another novel initiative. All the 51 tigers of Ayyanthole Desam have signed in the Mruthasanjeevani scheme of the government to donate their organs after death.
The first team will reach the Swaraj Round around 4.30 p.m. Huge tableaux will accompany the teams.
The police will implement traffic regulations from 12 noon. Parking will not be allowed in the Swaraj Round and nearby streets.
