Mangaluru: Navaratri celebrations have begun throughout the Karavali since Wednesday and with it comes the rhythm of the drums to which dance the tigers. Once again the city will be overrun by a variety of two legged tigers. The variety will include the striped, the spotted, the green, the Appe Pili (mother tiger), the black, the white and various other types of tigers. The tigers will roam the lanes, temple premises, shop-house premises, processions displaying their moves and amazing the onlookers.
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The dancers adorned with the tiger costume win the hearts of the people through their display of a variety of stunts. According to tradition, the dancers do many stunts including the ‘Tel Bagguni’, Monkey Dive’ walking upside down on hands, somersaults and many other stunts.
Colour from flax seeds!
Several years ago, flax seeds used to be crushed with stones and then applied as paint to depict the tiger. Then, sometimes it used to take a whole day to apply the paint. The soot from the chimneys was used to bring-out the tiger stripes on the dancers. But now, either paints or spray is used.
Earlier, those wearing the tiger costume had to make the decision 40 days before the Navaratri. This is also known as ‘Oodu’. It is customary to keep the deity’s photo, before which the head gear, shorts, ‘Jande’ and other equipment used for the tiger dance are placed, blessed and worshipped. Then, the Tase (drums) are struck such that their sound is heard throughout the village. From that day onwards, the tiger dancers refrain from any form of substance abuse and become strictly vegetarians. But now-a-days, ‘Oodu’ is kept just a day before the ‘Rang’ (paint) is applied. For this, the dancers have to refrain from substance abuse and become vegetarians at least a week before the Oodu. The day when Oodu is done, there is worship, followed by taking blessings from their teachers which is flowed with a tiger dance without wearing the costumes.
Stand for hours together while the paint is being applied!
When the paint is being applied on the tiger dancers, they are suppose to stand for three hours with their hands spread out holding a long pole. The dancer cannot remove his hands from the pole when the paint is being applied. He is not supposed to sit either. This is done so that the applied paint should dry in precisely the way it has been painted. The paint dries up in a couple of hours on some bodies while for some other bodies; it might take hours together to dry. After the paint has been applied, the dancer goes straight to the temple, does a ‘Jande Meravanige’, performs worship only after which he wears the tiger hat, says Umesh Bolar who has been applying paint to the tiger dancers since 45 years.
A feather of the peacock in the hand!
It is traditional to tie a lemon and a feather of a peacock on the arm of the tiger dancers. During the Navaratri, scores of tiger dancers over run the city during the days of Ayudha Pooja, Vijayadashami and Mangala Snana. On these days, the tiger dancers dance the whole day and do not return back to their homes. Instead, they sleep in the standing posture when the paint is being applied. They can sleep only on banana leaf, coconut leaves or old mattress so the paint applied on the body is not rubbed off. On the dawn of the next day, a paint touchup is done where required.
Appe Pili’s head is holy
The tiger dancers believe that the ‘Appe Pili’ (mother tiger) head is holy. They take great care not to damage it. If in case it suffers slight damage, it is not used. The damaged mother tiger’s head is taken reverently to the rhythm of the Tase and buried in the ground. Like final rites, this head gear is also provided rites traditionally.
Prayers in Dargha!
Kudroli Shiva Friends Huli Vesha team, which is reputed as the ‘4th Maryada Huli’ of the Mangaluru Dasara believe that before dancing they must visit the dargha at Kudroli and say prayers within the dargha. This is proof of goodwill amongst the communities. Shiva Friends team has followed this belief since 24 years. This team, after wearing their costumes visit Mahammayi, Ajjana Katte and then Hazrath Sayyid Roshan Shah Walliyullahi Dargha at Kudroli and say prayers, says Umanath Shettigar, president of Shiva Friends.
During emergency..!
During the time when Emergency was declared in India, tiger dance could not be performed anywhere. Then, the teacher of Mangaladevi Hulivesha group had worn the tiger dance costume. When the Sri Mangaldevi chariot was in the process of leaving, he performed the dance on top of a board brought by the devotees, remembers Dinesh Kumpala, honourary adviser of Mulihitlu Games Time which is celebrating its Golden Jubilee this year.
Note garlands worth a lakh rupees
In the backdrop to attract people, the tiger dancers wear garlands of money. The garlands which start from several thousand go up to Rs one lakh.
“This year there are about 1,000 orders for note garlands of different values. This is being done since 25 years,” informs Pavitra Kumar from Carstreet.
Article by Dinesh Ira translated into English by Aaron Dmello
