Pilivesha or tigerdance

Hulivesha or Pilivesha in tulu "Tiger Masque"  is a folkdance unique to the Tulunadu region of Karnataka.Hulivēṣa is performed during Navarathri to honour the Goddess Durga whose favoured animal is the tiger. Manglore dasara is one of the festivals during which large number of enthusiasts participate in this ritual. It is also performed during the Krishnajanmajstami/Mosarukudike and Ganesh chatterbox at Manglore, Udupi,Moodabidri many other places in Tulunadu.

Typically, young males form troops of five to ten members or more, which will have three to five males painted and costumed to look like tigers, and a band called thaase in Tulu with two or three drummers. This troop is accompanied by the manager of the group. During Navratri, these troops will be roaming the streets of their towns, with the accompanying drum beats of their bands. They stop at homes and businesses or on the road sides to perform for about ten minutes after which they collect some money from the people who have observed their performance.

The troops perform until the last day of Navratri, and almost all of them form part of the Sharada processions organized by various temples such as Mangaladevi,gokarnatheswara and Venkatramana temple. After the procession is over, performances are stopped and the paint is removed.