Mangaluru: Tiny tigers are taking over Tulunadu this Dasara. With painted stripes, bright costumes and plenty of enthusiasm, children are stepping onto competition stages as kinni pili, sending demand for miniature tiger-dance costumes soaring.Supreetha Poojary, who makes customised kinni pili and Muddu Krishna costumes, said orders have jumped from 35 last year to around 150 this year, with requests coming from Mumbai, Pune, Kochi and Bengaluru. Parents are increasingly opting for customised outfits tailored to their children’s measurements for competitions.
Dhanvith.R Puthige, winner of Manjeshwar kinni pilli competition
The surge is being felt across the trade. A costume dealer from Attavar, in the pili vesha business for 15 years, reported a threefold increase in orders. Aisiri PK, owner of PK Dooja Poojari & Co, said the business received more than 100 kinni pili costume orders this year, exceeding expectations. The store began selling the sets only last year but has reached a wider customer base this year.Puneeth, owner of Saurashtra Clothes Store, which manufactures kinni pili costumes and accessories, said demand has been growing 10-15% annually. The store also makes caps, armbands and other accessories.The little-tiger phenomenon is spreading across Tulunadu, with private malls and other establishments hosting competitions, adding to the Dasara craze around children performing the traditional dance.
For parents, the appeal goes beyond the stage. Devika Lakshmeesha, whose three-year-old son Devansh SD Rao participated in a competition, said the tradition helps children learn about Tulunadu’s culture, build confidence and overcome stage fear. Pili vesha is performed during Navaratri to honour Goddess Durga, whose vehicle is the tiger, she said.Pavan Acharya of Manjeshwara bought a costume for his three-and-a-half-year-old nephew Dhanvith R Puthige, who won Manjeshwara’s first kinni pili competition. He said the response was encouraging.
In Puttur, Avinash Shetty and Abhishek Shetty are organising a competition in memory of their father, late Pili Vesha performer Radhakrishna Shetty, who began as kinni pili at nine and performed for around 51 years. Their grandfather was also a performer, while Abhishek continues the family tradition. Avinash said the event aims to carry forward his father’s legacy and encourage children to embrace the art form.Mithun Rai, president, Pili Nalike Prathisthana, said the competitions give children an early platform to develop folk-art skills. He said they should remain free of political influence and other narratives, driven purely by love for folk culture to ensure the tradition’s sustainability.
