About Pulikali

• Pulikali (puli means leopard/tiger and kali means play in Malayalam) is a dance performed by men adorning the costume of leopard or tiger.
• It is performed in different parts of Kerala during the festival of Onam. 
• Yet, the one that is performed in Thrissur district is quite old. 
• The hallmark street pageant of the cultural capital (Thrissur) will bring the curtains down for the Onam celebrations.
• The performer will be wearing masks of tiger face and body painted in black and yellow, and tiger face. 
• The group comprises predominantly male performers with few female and child performers. 
• Since wearing masks, there is no significance for facial expressions. 
• Shakthan Tampuran introduced Pulikkali, more than two centuries ago as a street art form. 

Why in News?

For this year’s Onam, some Pulikali teams are planning to bring the performance online, taking them to the homes rather than on streets.

Reference:

1. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/pulikkali-to-go-online-this-onam/article32444321.ece