THRISSUR: The festival flag marking the official beginning of Pulikali scheduled to be held on September 10, was hoisted by Mayor Rajan J.Pallan at Naduvilal, on Friday. Six Pulikali teams will take part in the show this time. Bodies painted with dots and stripes in yellow and black, and wearing tiger masks, will prance about the city roads that day. The teams are:Viyyur, Poonkunnam, Kottapuram, Naykkanal, Chembukkavu and Mailippada.
According to Baby P.Antony, president, pulikali coordination committee, each team will have 51 members and present two tableaux. The percussion consists of chenda, thappu and ilathalam and will have 35 artistes. “The teams will enter Swaraj Round through four main entries – Kuruppam Road, M.G.Road, Palace Road and Shoranur Road.
The show would be judged at four locations at the round on the basis of performance, percussion, tableaux and discipline. It will conclude at 8.30 p.m. Temporary spotlights would be arranged at eight major locations at Swaraj Round for the convenience of the public,” he said.
The district police said traffic regulations would be imposed within Thrissur city limits and vehicles would not be allowed to park by Swaraj Round on September 10. Pulikali will bring the curtains down on Onam celebrations.