Tigers day out

FACES: The masks of Pulikali put on display by Kottappuram Desam yesterday. (More pictures on P3). Picture by Musthafa MA By Faris Arakkal Today is the day of tigers. They will be let loose and on the prowl in the city even as thousands people, including women and children, will be watching them dancing to the rhythmic drum beats. Dancing colourful pulis at Swaraj Round are a wonderful spectacle every year which is the culmination of the Onam celebrations in the district. The cultural gala is all set to rock the city and people from different parts of the district will throng Swaraj Round to witness the grand event. This year, many well known teams pulled out of the carnival for various reasons, but some new teams turned up after a long gap. In all, eight teams are participating in Pulikali this year with 51 tigers, all set to exhibit the exciting features of their body. Organisers of the event said that pulis will not carry any advertisements during the procession and three vehicles will be allowed for each team to exhibit their tableaux. The corporation this time has increased its grant to Rs 35,000 while the tourism department has offered Rs 50,000 to each team. Strict traffic rules have been imposed in the city prior to pulikali. Yesterday was the day of preparations and exhibitions. Artists and painters were busy giving finishing touches to masks in different shapes and colours. Masks and tiger attires were on display for the public. Pulival Ezhunallipu in which all the eight teams participated took place in the city yesterday marking the proclamation of the event. Yuvajana Sangham Shankarayyar Road is now in the limelight after a gap of 17 years. All the teams were busy erecting tableaux in large lorries yesterday. "We will present a new concept with the tableaux this time," said Sunil, member of Kottapuram Pulikali Club. Stripped, black panther, leopards and pot-bellied are the varieties. An artist paints three-four pulis on an average. "It is the first time that spotlights have been installed at eight places around Swaraj Round. It will brighten the entire event,'' said Pulikali Co-ordination Committee secretary Baby P Antony. Mayilipadam Desam, Poothole Chirakkal Desam, Kaanattukara Desam, Shangaramkulangara Thattakam, Seetharam Mill Lane Pulikali Aghosha Samithi, Kokkalai Desam, Kottapuram Desam and Yuvajana Sangham Shankarayya Road are the participants this year