THRISSUR: Thousands of spectators thronged the streets of Thrissur city on Thursday to watch Pulikali, one of Onam’s main attractions.
As many as 450 men in 10 different teams went in a procession through the main streets of the city, wearing masks and with bodies painted and they pranced about like tigers, entertaining the crowd. Though the show was slightly dampened by the lingering clouds and drizzle, the tigers danced to the drumbeats for over five hours on to their way to the Swaraj Round through Palace Road, Karunakaran Nambiar Road, Shornur Road, A R Menon Road and MG Road.
This year, the Corporation had raised the grant for each Pulikali troupe from Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000.
The teams 0participated are Sitaram Mill Lane, Viyyur Desham, Veliyannur, Oruma, Peringavu, Punkunnam Centre, Yuvasangham Kanattukara, Chakkamukku, Kanattukara Desham, Thrikkumaramkudam and Keeramkulangara and eight teams which had participated last time decided not to perform this year this year because of the financial crunch. Tableaux by each team added colour to the show.