Sylvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SP)
Kundapur, Oct 11: Navaratri happens to be a festival which lasts for ten days. It is believed that observing austerities and praying to the supreme Goddess with total devotion for nine days would be rewarded by way of boon for all-round progress of the concerned. 'Hulivesha (tiger dance)' troupes have been proliferating in all the town and villages of the taluk during every Navaratri but one unique troupe from among them stands out for conserving culture, following age-old customs, and not fleecing the general public like others.
Huliveshas have been a noted feature of coastal Karnataka since long. People who get their bodies painted to look like tigers visit homes and shops accompanied by musical instruments and perform tiger dances in unique, majestic style. Several organizations and cultural forums have been working honestly to keep this culture alive, and Basaveshwara Yuvaka Mandala on T T Road here in the forefront among them.
Members of this organization have been performing Hulivesha dances every year during nine days of Navaratri since the last 16 years without fail. They strictly follow food and other restrictions customarily imposed, and don the roles of tigers with devotion. Unlike many other such teams where normally people from a particular caste or area come together to form such groups, in case of this group, people from all categories get the opportunity to don Huliveshas.
The troupe makes sure that it does not pester people for money, no donations are sought, and there is no force for people to shell out money like in some other cases. People from all age groups right from smll children to very old people are allowed to perform, and the team gets satisfaction in entertaining and making people rejoice their performances.
Initially, a person named Wilfred D'Souza was leading this troupe. After he passed away, president of local Yuvaka Mandal, Rajesh, as well as locals, Ravi, and Nagaraj, have been providing leadership to this team. Dinesh Koni evinces interest and paints bodies of artistes willing to be part of this tiger dance team every year. The team had five members as of last year, but this time it has swelled to 15. Six among them will do tiger dance in the first phase, whereas the others will take to streets in the second.
The members of the troupe have plans to enroll 30 members to their team of tiger dancers next year. The troupe also has drawn up ambitious plans of extending financial assistance to children who are sick, and those who face financial problems in continuing with education.
Basaveshwara Yuvaka Mandala members, who have remained behind the scenes, and continuing to provide support and vigour to this traditional art form since the last 16 years, and making effort to conserve and carry forward this unique art form deserve a pat on their backs.