Transman participates in Kerala's famed ‘Pulikali’ performance

‘Pulikali’ (tiger dance), a popular folk art form of Kerala usually performed as part of Onam festival celebrations, witnessed a transgender person’s participation for the first time on Tuesday.

While the event was limited only to men over the last several decades, over the last couple of years a few women also started performing it. People with their bodies painted as that of tiger dance to the tune of percussion performance.

Men with big tummies used to be in much demand for ‘Pulikali’.

As part of Onam celebrations there used to be a ‘Pulikali’ performance on the streets of Thrissur district, which is considered as the cultural capital of Kerala. Owing to Covid-19 last year and this year, the event was restricted to an online performance by various groups.

Praveen Nath, a transman, who also earned the 'Mr Kerala' title in the transmen category recently, performed in the online tiger dance this time. He was part of Ayyanthole Desam Pulikkali Samghataka Samithi, one of the organisers of the event. Artists dressed up as tigers performed from various parts and screened it live on social media.

Facebook had recently released a video on ‘Pulikali’ as part of the Onam celebrations of Kerala.

Praveen, who had undergone sex reassignment surgery a few years back, used to say that he wanted to motivate others from the transgender community. It was this desire that led him to bag the 'Mr Kerala' title recently and performing in the 'Pulikali'.