Mangaluru: This retired principal is ‘matriarch’ of Huli Vesha teams!

Team Udayavani, Oct 9, 2024, 5:56 PM IST

A Huli Vesha team performs at Prof. Uday Kumar's front yard

Mangaluru: The Tiger Dance (Huli Vesha) has always held a regal status in Tulu Nadu. Not all tiger dance teams perform everywhere; some do only at select places. However, for the past 45 years, more than 15 tiger dance teams have been performing annually in the courtyard of a retired principal’s house in the city.

The residence of Prof. Uday Kumar, located near Mangaladevi, is considered a palace for tiger dance troupes. There has been a long-standing belief that performing here brings good luck. This belief has turned Prof. Uday Kumar’s home into a significant support system for most of these teams. Prominent tiger dance groups, known for receiving first, second, and third Maryade (honours), consider his courtyard their starting point before moving ahead. All the troupes respectfully call Uday Kumar their “Mestru” (Teacher).

He is regarded as a living “dictionary” of tiger dance and its associated teams. He has deep knowledge of the history and present state of this traditional art form. Recalling the older times, Prof. Uday Kumar explains, “In the 1970s, tiger dancers would walk along the railway track without making a sound. They used to come holding six gaslights, and the elegance of their dance was simply stunning. In those days, they would apply a paste of turmeric, chimney soot, and the white layer of eggshells, mixed and heated, to colour their bodies. Before applying these, they would take a bath with chickpea flour, followed by a soap bath to set the colour. Watching them dance in the gaslight created an electrifying vibe in front of the house.”

The Teacher Who Never Took a Day Off or Used a Mobile Phone!

Prof. Uday Kumar is a retired principal of SDM Law College, Mangaluru, and has a massive following of students across the country. He served for 33 years in the field of education. Remarkably, he never took a day off or missed a class. Even today, he walks everywhere and takes a bus only for long-distance travel. He has never used a mobile phone and can only be contacted via a landline.

Tiger Dance Should Receive Recognition Like Yakshagana

Prof. Uday Kumar has been passionate about tiger dance since childhood. He enjoys watching the energy and vibrancy of the dance. To this day, several teams visit his home every year to perform. There are numerous people who apply the tiger makeup with immense devotion, adhering to strict vegetarian diets during the process. Prof. Uday Kumar describes tiger dance as a great art form and expresses his wish for it to receive recognition, much like Yakshagana. “Yakshagana has been given the respect it deserves, but tiger dance has yet to gain any formal recognition. No one seems to talk about it,” he says.

Tiger Dance at a French President’s Parade!

When tourists from France visited Mangaluru, they witnessed a tiger dance performance at Prof. Uday Kumar’s residence. In 2000, arrangements were made to bring the tiger dance to Germany, which became a highlight in the parade held for the French President then. The tiger dancers even travelled to Germany, and the traditional tiger dance of the coast was featured in local newspapers!

Translated version of Kannada article by Dinesh Ira