Thrissur roars in Pulikkali frenzy as 450 tigers set Swaraj Round ablaze 

Thrissur stood electrified on Monday (September 8, 2025) as the city throbbed to the pulikkali vibe, the hypnotic rhythm of more than 450 painted tigers. The Swaraj Round and its streets overflowed with tens of thousands of spectators, who turned the annual performance into nothing short of a grand festival.

For hours, the crowd feasted on a kaleidoscope of sights and sounds that will linger on in their memory till the next Onam. Since morning, fans streamed into the nine tiger dens, eager to watch, cheer, and capture every move of the carnival cats—from the majestic striped warriors to spotted, black, fluorescent, and even electric-blue tigers. This year’s spectacle also unveiled a novelty—metallic tiger masks that gleam under the sun and under the city’s glowing lights.

From dawn

Preparations that began on Sunday reached feverish pitch by Monday dawn. Men, women, and even children transformed into tigers, their bodies coated in brilliant colours and patterns. By noon, villagers and neighbours sent off their Pulikkali squads to Thrissur accompanied by floral showers, drumbeats, and deafening cheers.

Vloggers from across the State had descended on Thrissur a day ahead of Pulikkali, setting up camp to capture the city’s most-awaited spectacle. From early morning, they were busy, recording every stage of the elaborate body-painting ritual on phones and cameras, swiftly editing the visuals into reels, and flooding YouTube and other social media with slices of the vibrant festival in real time.

Nine teams

The nine teams—Yuvajana Sangham Viyyur, Viyyur Desam Pulikkali Sangham, Chakkamukku Desam, Sakthan Pulikkali Sangham, Shankaramkulangara Desam, Kanattukara Desam, Seetharam Mill Desam, Patturaykkal Desam Kala Kayika Samskarika Samiti, and Ayyanthole Desam—paraded proudly into the city.

By the time the tigers began their march, the Swaraj Round and all approach roads were jam-packed. Families clung to terraces and balconies for a glimpse. At 4.30 p.m., the flag-off at Thekke Gopura Nada by Ministers and MLAs, presided over by Mayor M.K. Varghese, unleashed the wave of excitement.

Female participation

With female participation steadily increasing every year, the Mayor said fielding an exclusive team for women performers next year was under consideration. This year too, the presence of women tigers was noticeably higher than in the previous editions, adding fresh energy and inclusivity to the tradition.

As evening shadows gave way to twilight, floats, tiger chariots, and the Swaraj Round itself lit up in dazzling illumination, doubling the magic of the Pulikkali spectacle.