Pili Nalike Season 11 roars during Navratri celebrations
This time, a 7-month-old baby dressed as a tiger was the star of the crowd at the tiger costume competition, which gave a new dimension to the folklore of the coast.
CH NEWS, MANGALURU In the coastal district, Navratri is not just about nine days of worship, it is also about the sound of the gong that makes the body tingle, and the genuine din of tiger-dressed dance that makes the blood run faster. The 11th edition of Pilinalike 2026, led by young hero Mithun Rai, who took the beauty of this traditional art form, which used to go from house to house to seek the blessings of the goddess, to the world level and added a disciplined competitive dimension to it, has been very exciting in the city. During the Navratri festival, there is a great tradition in Tulu Nadu to worship the tiger (Vyaghra), the vehicle of Goddess Durga. The artists who dance with tiger stripes painted on their bodies with yellow, black and white colors and wearing attractive headscarves are not just costumed. They are passionate idols who dance with their eyes, not their bodies, to the fierce beat of the tasa and doli. Pilinalike was started to give stage recognition to this folk dance, which goes from house to house and seeks blessings for peace and prosperity, and to uphold the self-esteem of the artists. Nine of the best Tiger teams from Tulunadu performed in this year's Pilinalike 2026 Season 11. The performance of the Shiva Shakti Tigers team from Manjeshwar Kunjattur, who entered the arena first, left the entire hall in awe. The participation of a seven-month-old calf, Pritam, dressed in a tiger skin outfit and a mudi, was the biggest attraction of this year's Pilinalika. The audience cheered the little one on stage with shouts of joy. This is an art that is offered as a vow to God. It was started by the Pilinalike Foundation in 2013 so that this art should not be lost. This year, 9 teams participated in the competition. About 50 thousand people watched. 11 years of Pilinalike is successfully advancing in providing a new international platform of respect in society for the folk tiger costumes of the coast and cultural pride for the youth community. Mithun Rai, President of the Pilinalike Foundation
