BERHAMPUR: For P. Raju of Baguli street of the city, putting on the attire of tiger dance during the Thakurani Jatra is a family tradition and `Guru Paramapara' to keep alive the authenticity of the rare folk dance.

Forty-two-year-old Raju says he has already danced as a tiger at 15 biennial Thakurani Jatra festivals. His powerful rhythmic dance steps that emulate a tiger make one forget the allegations that although the number of people donning tiger dance attire has increased the real tiger dance is a rarity. One of the rare skills mastered by Raju is his dance on bamboo poles held by four persons.

Tough art form

His father P. Areya encouraged him to learn this dance to perform it during the Thakurani Jatra as it was their family tradition when he was only 12 years old. His guru was his paternal uncle T. Nageya, who was known to be a serious tiger dance practitioner.

Both Areya and Nageya are no more. But the family tradition to make people remember the real art of tiger dance still prompts Raju to get himself painted as a tiger to perform this tough dance.

He says he will continue this ritualistic practice till his body permits him.

Next generation

"By that time, some member of the next generation of our family will pick up the threads to continue the practice," he says.

Raju prefers to show off his skills at a few selected places and near the temporary temple of goddess Budhi Thaurani unlike some others who put on the garb of tiger dancers and move around collecting money, say his neighbours.

Concrete jungle

People of the locality wait for the day when he comes out as a tiger to show the ferocity of the wildcat amidst concrete jungle.

The women of his family wash his feet with turmeric water as a reverence to the art form considered divine by his family before he displays his first steps to the tune of beating drums.

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