Mangaluru: In a major win for Pili Nalike (tiger dance) enthusiasts, the district administration has decided to allow limited performances of the folk dance during this year’s Mangaluru Dasara celebrations.
It can be recalled that the district administration had previously banned the dance performance this year owing to concerns about the spread of COVID-19 in the city. Following this, the Dasara Shobhayatre Samiti urged Deputy Commissioner Dr K V Rajendra to permit a token performance of Pili Vesha/Huli Vesha during the Navaratri chariot festivals of the Mangaladevi and Mariyamma temples.
The Samiti also submitted a memorandum to the DC and a meeting was subsequently held to discuss the matter. It is learnt that the DC heard the Samiti representatives and assured them that their demands would be considered.
The Dakshina Kannada District Dharmika Parishat gave its conditional approval for the Pili Vesha (tiger dance) performances during this year’s Navaratri celebrations. A statement released by the parishat informed that the meeting chaired by DC Rajendra decided to allow only 10 participants per temple to perform the traditional Pili Vesha inside the premises of the temples concerned. The teams should strictly adhere to the COVID-19 protocols, including sanitisation of the temple premises and use of sanitizes. Bursting of firecrackers is has also been disallowed, the parishat added.
In case any of the protocols are violated, legal action will be taken against the management of the temples, the parishat warned, adding that public performances of Pili Vesha outside temples should not be conducted.
