The Kudroli Sri Gokarnanatha Temple, known for its grand Navaratri and Mangaluru Dasara celebrations, has announced that this year’s festivities will feature a special day dedicated exclusively to children. The event, called Makkala Dasara, will be observed on September 28 as part of the temple’s celebrations scheduled between September 22 and October 2.
Special tiger dance competition for children
A key highlight of Makkala Dasara will be Kinni Pili, a tiger dance competition designed exclusively for children. Organised in collaboration with Biruver Kudla, a local youth organisation, the competition will be divided into two categories: one for children below the age of four, and another for children between four and eight years.
Tiger dance, locally called pili vesha, is considered an inseparable part of coastal Karnataka’s cultural identity, particularly during Mangaluru Dasara. “Every year, the temple provides a platform for artistes to present their talent and participate in competitions. This year, we have added the Kinni Pili category to encourage children to experience this tradition early,” said Padmaraj R Poojary, treasurer of the temple committee.
Winners of the Kinni Pili competition will be honoured with attractive prizes by the temple and the organisers.
Competitions and cultural activities
Alongside the tiger dance, the temple has planned several competitions for children, including devotional song singing, drawing, and the popular Muddu Sharade contest. A major highlight is the Rudra Veena Bhaktipradhana Nritya competition, which will carry prizes worth ₹1 lakh for the winners.
Cultural programmes during Dasara
Every evening during the ten-day festival, cultural programmes will commence at 4 pm. These will include performances of folk arts, Bharatanatyam, veena recitals, Harikatha, Talamaddale, Yakshagana, Pundu Vesha, dance dramas, magic shows, and cultural displays from educational institutions.
The temple has also planned literary activities with a special emphasis on poetry. A multilingual poetry session and a Tulu poetry session are scheduled, reflecting the rich linguistic diversity of the region. Performers will be selected after a review of their previous performances submitted via video.
Preserving tradition while nurturing young talent
The Kudroli Temple committee noted that Makkala Dasara has been conceptualised not just to entertain but to nurture cultural awareness among the younger generation. By including children in traditional art forms such as tiger dance, the temple hopes to keep alive the region’s cultural heritage while encouraging creativity.
With devotional, cultural and literary events spanning ten days, this year’s Mangaluru Dasara promises to be a vibrant celebration of tradition, faith and art, with children taking centre stage on September 28.