Polish woman learns Kerala’s iconic Pulikali tiger dance: ‘A moment I’ll never forget’

A POLISH woman living in Kerala has captured social media attention by embracing one of the state’s most vibrant cultural traditions. Emilia Pietrzyk shared a clip on Instagram that shows her learning Pulikali, Kerala’s iconic tiger dance, under the guidance of a local performer.

The short video shows her in Thrissur, attempting to match steps with a local performer whose body is painted in vibrant tiger stripes.

Emilia’s experience in her own words

Posting the video, Pietrzyk wrote with heartfelt excitement: “I never thought I’d end up in Thrissur learning Pulikali – the famous tiger dance of Kerala. The drums, the energy, the crowd cheering… it felt like the whole city was alive with Onam vibes. Even though I didn’t paint myself, the locals were so kind teaching me a few moves and letting me join the rhythm. Pulikali is more than just dance – it’s tradition, it’s joy, it’s Kerala showing its true spirit. And trust me… dancing to those chenda beats is harder than it looks! A moment I’ll never forget from my Onam in Kerala.”

Her words resonated with many, as the clip swiftly crossed more than 182k views.

Social media reactions

Viewers responded with delight, praising both Pietrzyk’s enthusiasm and the cultural beauty of Puli Kali. One user commented, “Nice dance,” while another observed, “This looks so awesome.” A third wrote, “So beautiful,” while yet another user declared, “This dance is next level.”

The tradition of Pulikali

Pulikali, literally meaning “play of the tigers,” is a dance form performed during Onam celebrations in Kerala.

Devotees paint their faces and bodies with tiger-like stripes in shades of yellow, red, orange and black.

The dancers then perform in synchrony with the beats of traditional percussion instruments such as thakil, udukk, and chenda.