No Dancing Tigers On The Roads Of Kerala This Onam As COVID Forces Cancellation Of Celebrations

Hundreds of men with tiger faces and stripes painted all over their bodies, dancing to the tunes of traditional drums, are an integral part of Onam celebrations in Kerala.

But with just one week to go for the biggest festival in Kerala, it is becoming clear that Pulikkali, like most of the traditional festivities, will not happen this year.

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Though the tiger and hunter costumed dance is held across the state, the celebrations in Thrissur district stand out.

On the fourth day of Onam, roads of Thrissur would turn into a sea of humanity to witness hundreds of men adorning tiger costumes and marching on the streets.

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The preparations for the performance usually start the previous night, with the elaborate painting work, which can take over an hour to complete on one person.

Several groups from around the city form their own teams which converge at one place by the evening when the festivities reach its peak.

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But this time around the tigers have been left disappointed, as for the first time there won't be Pulikkali for Onam in Thrissur.

That is because the Kerala Government has decided that there won't be elaborate Onam celebrations this year, as the state like the rest of the country is grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic.

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It is not just the Pulikkali that was cancelled this year.

The Athachamayam procession in Ernakulam district's Tripunithura, which officially announces the start of the 10-day 'Onam' festivities in Kerala was also cancelled.

Locals said various folk art forms like Ammankudam, Pulikkali, Theyyam and Mayilattom, and classical art forms like Kathakali used to add colour to the traditional Athachamayam procession at Tripunithura, the erstwhile capital of the kingdom of Cochin.

Hundreds of people including foreign tourists used to gather at Tripunithura to enjoy the traditional procession accompanied by floats and folk dance performances, they said.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kerala government has made it clear that there won't be outdoor celebrations this year and urged people to mark the harvest festival at home.

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Kerala government had last week said that people should use flowers available in their neighbourhoods and not rely on those from neighbouring states.

During the festivities, flowers are much sought after to make floral carpets for decoration, be it at homes or offices.

This is a setback for the thousands of farmers in Tamil Nadu in the districts bordering Kerala, who cultivate flowers for the market in the neighbouring state.

One of the biggest flower markets in Tamil Nadu is at Thovala, located about 20 km from the Kerala border. The economy of the Tamil Nadu town is heavily dependent on flower sales during the Onam season in Kerala.