Photo:- Joshi Manjummel

The Tiger Dance is an art form of Kerala in which painted men imitate a tiger and its action. Pulikali is said to have originated in the 18th century when the soldiers belonging to the army of Sakthan Thamburan, who was the King of Cochin, first performed it.

This folk art is mainly performed in the Thrissur district of Kerala, the state’s cultural capital. It signifies the inseparable relationships between the human and nature by fusing the man and beast. The scene is an enaction of hunters or tiger hunting its prey and takes place every year, on the fourth day of the Onam Celebration–a festival in Kerala that usually takes place in September but varies according to the Hindu Calendar.

Men of all ages participate in the procession.  But it’s not for the feint of heart, as body hair must be removed prior to the painting, which can then take up to 4 hours to complete.