"Pulikali" adds colour to Onam festivities in Kerala

With their bodies sporting painted stripes of the big cat and donning tiger masks, around 300 artistes, including three women, participated in the famed "Pulikali" here as part of the week-long "Onam" celebrations.

The "Pulikali" (Tiger dance) began at around 5 PM at the Swaraj Round in Thrissur, with participants dancing and bouncing their bellies and making tiger like movements to the beat of drums.

The preparation for the famed tiger dance began at six AM this morning.

The whole whole body of the partcipant is painted in different hues to resemble a tiger.

It was in 2016 that women decided to take part in the tiger dance, creating history.

Thrissur town, known as the state's cultural capital, was decked up and people from far and near had thronged in large numbers to view the folk dance at the Swaraj Round here.

Security had also been tightened in view of the celebrations.

The Kerala Tourism's week-long cultural extravaganza to mark this year's Onam celebrations began on Tuesday,showcasing the state's vibrant classical and folk dances, modern art and performing traditions across the southern state.

The celebrations will conclude with a colourful cultural pageantry here on September 16.

Last year, the onam celebrations, including "Pulikali", were not held in Kerala following the devastation caused due to the floods, the worst this century.

Over 400 people had been killed last year in the deluge and 125 this year in the floods and landslides.

However, the state government decided to go ahead with the celebrations this year.