When tigers dance for Dasara

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The team headed by 72-year-old Bajilakeri Kamalaksha is all geared to perform Huli Vesha or tiger dance this Dasara season. Started by his father Bajilakeri Krishnappa back in 1928, it has remained a family team for 95 years. The youngest member of the troupe is Charvi, who is studying in Class III and has been donning Huli Vesha for the last two years.

Bajilakeri Kamalaksha (72), the present head of 95-year-old ‘B. Krishnappa Founded Kesari Friend Circle Sharada Huli’ of Bajilakeri, Mangaluru, oldest surviving family tiger dance group of Mangaluru. | Photo Credit: H.S. Manjunath

A two-time Independent councillor of Mangaluru City Corporation, Mr. Kamalaksha said, “If I am alive, I will don Huli Vesha myself when our troupe turns 100.” The troupe founded by Krishnappa is the oldest surviving troupe in Mangaluru.

A patron of the dance

M. Udaya Kumar, a retired vice-principal of Shri Dharmasthala Manjunatheswara Law College and a patron of tiger dance performances for almost five decades, says that there could be at least 50 tiger dance troupes in Mangaluru. They mainly perform during Dasara though a few troupes perform during other occasions like Sri Krishna Janmasthami and temple fairs. They are mainly spread out in Kudroli, Car Street and Mangaladevi areas.

M. Udaya Kumar, a retired Vice-Principal of Shri Dharmasthala Manjunatheswara Law College, Mangaluru, and a patron of tiger dance performances for almost five decades in Mangaluru. | Photo Credit: H.S. Manjunath

The family of Mr. Kumar has got a special attachment with many tiger dance troupes. Many troupes which perform in front of the temples of their area first choose Mr. Kumar’s house as their second destination for performance.

“This is in vogue for the past 45 years,” Mr. Kumar told The Hindu, sitting amid a heap of Dasara tiger dance invitations received by him in the past few days. “In all, 25 troupes performed on the premises of our house last year.” The troupe members, he says, believe that it is a “lucky house” and performing there brings good fortune. “I remember the troupe members of Vivek Tigers during last year’s Dasara waiting for over two hours to perform in our house.” The invitations spread around him show that some troupes are over 70-years-old while some have been around for a couple of decades.

A stakeholder of tiger dance preparing the ‘mande’ of tiger dance using papers. | Photo Credit: H.S. Manjunath

D. Vedavyasa Kamath, MLA, Mangaluru City South, who is among the organisers of tiger dance competition in Mangaluru through Kudla Samskritika Prathisthana since 2022, puts the number troupes in the City anywhere between 80 and 90.

As the tiger dance has become more popular with the advent of social media, new troupes are born every year. For example, Vidyarthi Sangha Tigers of Baikampady, Sri Devi Tigers of Police Lane, Karavali Tigers of Babugudda will perform for the first time this Dasara. In addition, Dakshina Kannada Jilla Vadya Kalavidara Sangha has formed a dance troupe for the first time this year.

Tiger dance performers of Mangaluru with their body paint. | Photo Credit: H.S. Manjunath

Root of the form

Ashok Alva, a senior folklore researcher of Mangaluru and the author of the research work Tulunadina Prani Janapada, a book on animal lore of Tulunadu, told The Hindu that tiger dance appears to have its roots in the animal worship tradition.

In addition to the tiger dance, the Tulunadu, or the coastal belt of Karnataka has a history of people doing Karadi (bear) Vesha, and Shardula (lion) Vesha among others, especially during Navaratri. A dance form known as Pili Panji Kunita (tiger and wild boar dance) existed in Belthnagady Taluk of Dakshina Kannada. The conflict between wild animals and farmers is centuries old. “Tiger dance must have started as part of worship to appease animals so that they do not harm their farming animals,” Mr. Alva said.

Mr. Kamalaksha said tiger dance must have started during Navaratri as a ‘harake’ (vow) to thank God or Goddess for fulfilling a certain wish, as tiger is the vehicle of Goddess Durga.

An old photograph of tiger dance performers. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Body paint

Now dancers use chemical paint on their bodies after a through shave and bath using channa dal flour. While many opt for spray painting method, some use brush. Some keep the paint on for three days. They use tiger face masks – some fibre-based ones others made out of paper. Later turpentine is used to remove body paint.

Questions have been raised over the use of chemical paint over health hazards, especially skin allergies. But such cases are minimal, said Mr. Kumar. In the olden days, said Mr. Kamalaksha, a mixture of zinc powder, clear varnish and white part of egg (albumen) were used to prepare body paint. Some used turmeric paste, but it did not last long.

Becoming a ‘huli’

The performers get ready to become “huli” the day before Ayudha Pooja. The process of painting the body begins during the night after performing a pooja at a place of their gathering. Painting a performer lasts even up to five hours. Once all “hulis” (performers) are ready by morning (on Ayudha Pooja Day) they go in a procession, which is called “zande”, from their camp to a temple to which the particular troupe is affiliated, along with the beating of “taase” (a variant of drum) and the regular drum.

These days some troupes even hire a band set for the procession and performances. They perform in front of the temple for some time where the troupes are given their due “maryadi” (respect or honour). Later the troupes head on to perform in places of their choice or where they are invited. Some troupes perform for one day, some troupes for two days while a few perform for three full days till the ‘jalaka’ day (the day after Vijayadashami).

Various tiger dance invitations were received by M. Udaya Kumar, a retired Vice-Principal of Shri Dharmasthala Manjunatheswara Law College, Mangaluru, and a patron of tiger dance performances for almost five decades in Mangaluru.  | Photo Credit: H.S. Manjunath

Economy around it

Preparations for dasara tiger dance, which is popular, begins just after Sri Krishna Janmasthami with different stakeholders involved beginning their preparations. The money circulates as stakeholders involved earn their own revenue by charging their fee. The makers of mask of the tiger, ‘toppi’ (cap) and ‘mande’ (which is used like a helmet) begin making them well in advance and supply them to the dancing troupes. The performers require painters and other helpers to get ready, who charge their fee. In addition, the troupes will have to pay for the drum and ‘taase’ beaters and the band set.

Some well wishers of tiger dance also extend financial help to the troupes to manage their expenses.

Garland of currency notes

Some fans of tiger dance garland the best performers with currency notes of different denominations. Usually the troupe managers allow the particular performer to retain those notes as it is the income of performer.

The stunts and flips during the performance are recent additions and the olden day tiger dance laid thrust only on steps, said Mr. Kamalaksha. The stunts and flips have resulted in hospitalisation of some performers due to injuries. “Our family troupe does not do stunts. We do only traditional steps,” he said.

Another significant change is that tiger dance is no longer only the domain of men. Udupi has a performing troupe of women.

Various tiger dance flexes are put in Mangaluru city as part of Dasara celebrations. | Photo Credit: H.S. Manjunath

Competitions galore

Of late, political leaders are backing tiger dance by organising competitions in Mangaluru. Congress leader Mithun Rai, who contested the last Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha and last Moodbidri Assembly elections unsuccessfully, floated Pilinalike Prathisthana, which has been hosting ‘Pili Nalike’ competition during Dasara since the past seven years. The eighth annual competition this year will be held at Urwa Cricket Grounds on October 23. He is the first to organise a competition in tiger dance.

Kudla Samskritika Prathisthana, backed by Dakshina Kannada Member of Parliament and Karnataka BJP President Nalin Kumar Kateel, began hosting a competition ‘Pili Parba’ during Dasara since 2022. The 2023 edition of the competition will be held at Nehru Maidan on October 21.