By R. Rakendu
For the first time in history, the ‘Pulikali’ performers of Kerala will receive central government’s financial assistance. Union Minister of State Petroleum and Natural Gas of India and Minister of State for Tourism, Suresh Gopi announced that Rs. 3 lakh has been allocated to each group under the DPPH (Domestic Promotion & Publicity including Hospitality) scheme of the Ministry of Tourism.
‘Pulikali’ is a cultural festival associated with Onam where people paint on themselves or dress up as ‘Puli’ which translates to tiger. Once dressed up, these performers will start to move in groups, dancing and spreading joy. This year, Rs 24 lakh has been allocated for eight groups. The information about the amount allocated under the central fund was posted on Minister Suresh Gopi’s Facebook page. South Zone Cultural Centre in Thanjavur also allocated Rs 1 lakh for the same.
This year, the tigers of Pulikali entered the city of Thrissur on September 8, 2025. The streets of Thrissur were intoxicated by listening to Pandi melam, Panchari melam and Panchavadyam (different kinds of percussion ensembles played in groups). The people swayed to the rhythm of the Pulikali performers.
Following the tradition, the performers dressed as tigers danced in front of the Ganapati idol in the middle of the night. The spectators also joined in the tiger dance with their own dance steps. The men dressed as bulky tigers, along with the females dressed as tigers and children dressed as cubs, danced in the Swaraj Round by shaking their bellies (an iconic step of traditional pulikali). A total of 459 tigers participated in the pulikali. The Veliyannur group was flagged off by ministers and MLAs under the chairmanship of Mayor MK Varghese at 4:30 p.m. at the Swaraj Round, South Gopuram. There were 35 to 51 tigers in a group. The tigers of Ayyanthol, Kuttankulangara, Sitaram Mill Lane, Chakkamukku, Naikkanal, Viyyur Yuvajanasangham, Shankaramkulangara, Veliyannur Desam and Patturaikkal stole the show as they danced through the city streets.
The corporation will award trophies and cash prizes to the first three places considering the tiger makeup and the dance performance. An insurance of Rs. 50 lakh has also been provided for the safety of the tiger-dressed artists and the public.