Huli Vesha or Pili Vesha, a folk dance (tiger dance), originated in the Udupi district of Karnataka to pay tribute to Goddess Durga during the Navratri festival. It was initially performed during Janmashtami and Ganesha Chaturthi in Mangalore, Udupi, Kundapura, Moodabidri and other places in Tulu Nadu. However, it is one of the highlights of Mangalore Dasara, where many people participate with zeal.
Tiger Dance (Huli Vesha) Significance
Tiger Dance, or Huli Vesha, performed to honour Goddess Durga, whose vehicle is the tiger, forms a significant aspect of the Navratri festival. This dance form, popular in coastal Karnataka, has evolved with time. It involves fire breathing, hand walking, headstand and other acrobatic moves but retaining the traditional steps (Paula or Pili). Initially, the troupe, which consisted of about seven tiger dancers, has now increased to fifty. It also includes a band called Thaase in Tulu with two to three drummers to whose beats the dancers perform.
The dancers wear shorts with tiger motifs with their bare bodies and face painted like tigers. Some even resort to getting painted like leopards and cheetahs. Initially, the dancers use turmeric powder, egg yolk, mehindi mix, etc, to depict the tiger on the dancer’s body. But in recent days, oil paint has replaced these natural products. It is a detailed process of painting the dancers’ bodies, which takes about seven hours to paint one dancer. The dancers perform in front of houses and business centres till the end of the Navaratri festival.
Tiger Dance (Huli Vesha), an important aspect of Mangalore Dasara
Pili Nalike, the tiger dance contest, forms a notable part of Mangalore Dasara. It has drawn a lot of enthusiasts to participate in it. Consequently, it has encouraged the formation of new tiger dance troupes, with Mangalore alone having more than fifty troupes. The tiger dance Mangalore troupes form a significant part of the Sharada procession organised by temples like the Mangaladevi temple, Gokarnatheshwara temple, Venkataramana temple, etc.
The Pili Nalike contest will take place on October 23rd, 2023, in the Urwa Store Ground in Mangalore. Artists from Jharkhand this year will participate in the Pili Nalike competition. The contest will commence at 10 AM with around ten teams to showcase their talents. The government will award the first three winning troupes with attractive cash prizes.