Pulikkali

PulikKali  translates to: (a) Dance of the Peacock (b) Dance of the Tigers

Answer: (b) Dance of the Tigers

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About Pulikkali:

• PulikKali is performed around Onam, the harvest festival of Kerala.
• Mythology: It is believed that Vaman, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, descended on Earth to defeat the evil King Mahabali.
  • King Mahabali was granted a boon to visit his subjects once a year during Onam.
• The festival’s history dates back to the times of King Maharaja Rama Varma of Cochin, who encouraged this grand celebration.
• Artists paint their bodies to resemble tigers or leopards and dance on the streets.
• Today, not just men, but women and children also participate, painting themselves as tigresses and young tigers. Accessories like fake tiger teeth, masks, and jingling belts enhance the performance.
• The main attractions are men with pot-bellies dancing to traditional instruments like chenda, thakil, and udukku.
  • They enact scenes mimicking real tigers, and the best performers are awarded.