Daijiworld Media Network – Puttur

Puttur, Sep 6: Pili Radhanna, who gave Puttur’s pili (tiger dance) tradition its own distinctive brand and style, passed away in the early hours of Satrday September 6.

The deceased, Radha Krishna Shetty (59), a resident of Kemmai, had been ailing and was admitted to Puttur hospital on September 5. Later, he was shifted to a hospital in Mangaluru for advanced treatment. However, he did not respond to treatment and breathed his last early on Saturday.

He is survived by his wife, two sons, and a daughter.

Popularly known as Pili Radhanna in his hometown, Radha Krishna Shetty was renowned for donning the pili vesha (tiger costume) and performing the traditional dance with unmatched devotion, ensuring that the sanctity of the age-old custom remained intact.

Nearly 65 years ago, Puttur had only two pili icons—Pili Sankappanna and Pili Ganganna. Pili Sankappa Shetty, who danced for nearly 30 years, was the father of Radha Krishna Shetty. At the age of nine, while studying in the 4th standard, young Radha Krishna joined his father as a kinni pili (junior performer). From then on, his journey as a tiger dancer began.

For nearly a decade, father and son performed together, creating unforgettable moments in Puttur’s cultural history. The little boy who once performed as a kinni pili went on to be celebrated and remembered as Pili Radhanna.