Puli Kali Folk Dance

Puli Kali Folk Dance, Kerala

Puli Kali is an active, shaky classical dance form of native India, from the southern part. Usually the men take the stage. Dressed in tight fitted apparels or painted bodies, it feels as if the tiger imprinted on it, in varied manifestations and moods, usually the powerful angry denomination is ready to shake off and take a tremendous leap across enlightened by the beat and the rhythm of Udukku and Thakil involved. The purpose is such. The Puli Kali Dance form should not just remain as a form but should transcend and enter into the souls and the hearts and the brains of all structures and make it a powerful representation of the superior.

Hailing from Thrissur, and 200 years back in time, Maharaja Rama Varma Sakthan Thampuran is the documented forefather to have introduced this Puli Kali folk dance form to the world. Circular animations with foot stumping and shaking off the upper portion in massive rhythm with the prowess of a tiger in the mood to jump over his prey is to reverberate the hunting spirit as we can recall the famous dialogue by Clint Eastwood - ‘When you are shooting, shoot.’ Enactments to delineate the hunter-tiger relation are also portrayed. Highly colourful, highly mask-y it is a dedicated form. The artists are painted with rigorous dedication to bring out the tiger spirit in them and accorded with masks, teeth, mustaches and jingles on their waist truly merge the false and the true.

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Get quick answers from travelers who visit to Puli Kali Folk Dance.

Sunandha Haridas
20 August 2023

Where should I get these costumes? I wish to buy?

山崎道幸
14 August 2019

Which day this Puli Kali tiger folk dance event in Thrissur is expected in 2019 and what time the parade is started and which place in Thrissur can you recommend us to see these parade??

by Parth
28 August 2019

Pulikali - the Tiger dance held every 4th day of Onam festival (annual Hindu harvest festival of Kerala)
In 2019, Thrissur Onam is held on September 11 (and Pulikali dance held at 14 September 2019)
In 2020, Thrissur Onam is held on August 31 (and Pulikali dance held at 3 September 2020)
In 2021, Thrissur Onam is held on August 21 (and Pulikali dance held at 24 August 2021)

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