Tigers of Vitlapindi

Across the coastal regions of Karnataka, you will find a lot of specialities including places, food, cultures involving song and dance. Among these cultures are festivals that are programmed to us by blood starting from the Dasara, to the Ganesh Chaturthi, and then we have our very own celebrations of Krishna Janmashtami - The Vitlapindi.  

So many festivals, so many forms of art revolving around us, and in between that is one form to the tunes of which a person of every age group, every gender can’t control their feet to. The ones around this region reading this would have already guessed it just by reading the title. To the ones unaware, let me take you through an experience. Believe me when I say, we picture the word ‘Tiger’ differently across the coast. It feels more personal when you say it in the local language, Pili.  Now to make it a little more interesting, imagine a group of men & women who pray to the gods, dress up and paint themselves as tigers, and then dance graciously to the tunes of the Taase, a variant of the drum. It is better experienced than read.

Funnily, as a kid, I was super scared of the people dancing and I have no idea why but as time passed I realised this is a lot more than just people dancing, the levels of soul and passion that is put in by these artists is a sight to watch right from the rituals during the sunset to the first dance during sunrise. And for someone who has lived across the coast and witnessed this across his life, it brings me utmost joy to share my experience with the world of the Vitlapindi Festival. This is a piece of my experience I would love to call - The Tigers of Vitlapindi.