Onam festivities: Children revive traditional Pulikali in Keralam's Kurampala

A group of children in Kurampala, Pandalam, is bringing the traditional folk art of Pulikali back to village streets this Thiruvonam, taking the colourful tiger dance from door to door and keeping alive a grassroots form of Keralam's cultural heritage.

A group of children in Kurampala, Pandalam, is bringing the traditional folk art of Pulikali back to village streets this Thiruvonam, taking the colourful tiger dance from door to door and keeping alive a grassroots form of Keralam's cultural heritage. Once a common sight in Keralam villages, Pulikali depicts a tiger entering a village and being hunted by local hunters.

The performance symbolises the triumph of good over evil, an enduring theme associated with the Thiruvonam season. The children move from house to house, performing the traditional sequence for residents. The tiger costume is made from dried banana leaves, locally referred to as unakka vazhayila, while performers wear handmade tiger masks.

Children dressed as hunters accompany the tiger, carrying toy guns and enacting the hunt as part of the theatrical street performance. The initiative offers a traditional and eco-friendly version of Pulikali at the community level, preserving the folk art in a simple form that is accessible to the local community.

It differs from the grand Pulikali festival in Thrissur, known for its heavily painted performers, by retaining the simpler rural form of the folk art. Using dried banana leaves and handmade masks also keeps the performance accessible and closely connected to local folklore and history.

By taking the performance directly to residents' doorsteps, the children are helping bring the festive spirit of Thiruvonam into the community while continuing a traditional cultural practice. The main day of Onam, Thiruvonam, falls on Wednesday, August 26, 2026. (ANI)