UDUPI: SHE has clawed her way up the male bastion , like a tig ress, and achieved success in her career spanning over a decade. Meet 23-year-old Sushma Raj, who has carved a niche for herself in the field of tiger dance, popularly known as H uli Vesha. Daughter of Udupi residents Ashok Raj and Radha, Sushma is now a recognized artiste, who is redefining the depth, tradition and reach of this unique dance form.
Huli Vesha is usually practised and propagated by men, especially during Navaratri and Mahanavami festivals. Dedicated and determined, Sushma Raj has developed the skill of dancing to the beats of drums called ‘thaase’ in Tulu, no less skilfully than her male peers. Ample encouragement from her parents has made this possible for her. Her father Ashok Raj has been training tiger dancers for the past three decades. Sushma said that from her childhood, she was fascinated and inspired by the troupes of ‘tigers’ who roamed the streets in her hometown Udupi.
‘’I would hear the sound of ‘thaase’ and start dancing to the beats. I gave my first public performance when I was four. My elder sister Preethi accompanied me to Shiroor Mutt in Udupi. Those words of appreciation and sound of thunderous claps still echo in my ears,’’ says Sushma, who is fondly known as ‘tiger girl’ by Udupi residents. Getting prepared to perform as a tiger dancer is the toughest task. Apart from colourful hues, mainly including yellow, white, brown and saffron, the artiste also has to bear the heat produced after the body is painted.
The process of painting the body normally starts in the wee hours of the morning. During the recent Navaratri festival celebration, Sushma performed for Team Biruver Kudla, Mangaluru. “On that day, I began to don the paint from 2 am and it went on for eight hours. ‘My father painted,’’ says Sushma Raj. Sushma’s father Ashok Raj says he worked hard to preserve the culture of tiger dance.
‘’I feel proud that my daughter has brought novelty to the art form,’’ he adds. ‘’Dance of any form leads to awakening of our inner core. That keeps me grounded and helps me perform with full confidence,’’ says the young dancer. Sushma’s elder sister Preethi and younger brother Bhagavandas and their mother Radha, a homemaker, happily support Sushma in her endeavour.
Catwoman’s many talents
Sushma pursued an animation degree, after which she got an opportunity to work in a company for two years. Later she acted in teleserials and films, including Masti Gudi. Aparft from doing modelling assignments, she was a contestant in ‘Indian,’ a reality TV show, where she reached the final. Sushma also does some stunts like tossing a 20 kg bag of rice in the air using her teeth. Locals say that decades ago, the best dancer had to toss a sheep in the air using teeth and kill the animal. Now, the sheep has been replaced by a heavy bag of rice. Sushma’s father is adept at this.
She fought orthodox views
Sushma says her interest in Huli Vesha did not go down well with some of her conservative relatives initially. ‘’How can a girl be a ‘Huli Vesha’ dancer and dance on the streets? This was the jibe they made at me and my parents. But my parents never paid heed to their remarks,” she says. Another female tiger dancer, Vidya, says. “Sushma Raj’s interest in this extremely tough dance form has created ripples in the world of tiger dance. Her decision to enter the domain of ‘male tigers’ deserves kudos. Very few girls in the past have dared to do this and Sushma’s willpower to break through the glass ceiling is praiseworthy.
Daddy’s girl wants all-women troupe
“My father taught me all the tough moves which even male tigers find tough to replicate. Being a karate expert, it was my father who introduced acrobatics and stunts into tiger dance,” Sushma says. “His continuous support kept me going.” Sushma has another dream to form an all woman tiger dance group. ‘’My father had mentored a group of married women in the art of tiger dance. We will all dance together one day,’’ says the dancer brimming with confidence.