Puli kalli

Onam is a grand festival celebrated of Kerala and Puli kalli is an integral part of it. The festival celebrates the Vamana avatar of Vishnu and the following repatriation of the legendary Emperor Mahabali. It is the state festival of Kerala and falls during the month of Chingam which falls between August and September and celebrated for ten days. Onam is an ancient festival which still survives in modern times. Kerala’s rice harvest festival and the Festival of Rain Flowers, which fall on the Malayalam month of Chingam, celebrates the Asura King Mahabali’s annual visit from Patala or the world under the earth. Onam is exclusive since Mahabali has been revered by the people of Kerala since prehistory.

Pulikali 2013 Celebration

Pulikali will be celebrated differently in different District of Kerala. In Thrissur it was celebrated on 12th April 2013, Swaraj Round, Thrissur , while it will be celebrated on 21 August 2013.

Puli Kali which literally known as leopard dance in the native language of Kerala is a colorful entertaining folk dance from the state of Kerala. It is performed by trained artists to entertain people on the occasion of Onam, an annual harvest festival, celebrated mainly in the Indian state of Kerala. On the fourth day of Onam celebrations (Nalaam Onam), performers painted like tigers and hunters in bright yellow, red, and black dance to the beats of instruments like Udukku and Thakil.The meaning of Pulikali is the ‘play of the tigers’ hence the performance revolve around the theme of tiger hunting. The folk art is mainly practiced in Thrissur district of Kerala. Best place to watch the show is at Swaraj Round, Thrissur on the fourth day of Onam, where Pulikali troupes from all over the district assemble to display their skills. The festival attracts thousands of people to the Thrissur city.

The source of Pulikali dates back to over 200 years, when the Maharaja Rama Varma Sakthan Thampuran, the then Maharaja of Cochin, is said to have introduced the folk art, who wanted to celebrate Onam with a dance that reflected the wild and macho spirit of the force. Later, Muslim soldiers of the British Army stationed in Thrissur in the army cantonment area which is near Pattalam Road used to celebrate with great fervor. The groups assemble at Naduvilal in the Swaraj Round,Thrissur in front of the Vadakkunnathan Temple and offer a coconut each to the deity of the Ganapati shrine or Naduvilal Ganapati Kovil,before going on a procession around the ground.The procession also include floats from each village. The different troupes vie with each other to make the best floats as well as the best dressed tigers.