The “tigers” are set to take over Swaraj Round in Kerala’s Thrissur on Monday.

Nine Puli Kali or tiger dance groups are raring to take part in a competition held under the aegis of the state tourism department and the Thrissur Corporation on the fifth and last day of Onam celebrations.

For the first time, the Union tourism department has sanctioned ₹3 lakh each to the Puli Kali groups, where performers paint their bodies to resemble tigers and dance to the rhythm of traditional percussion instruments.

For Jithin Joseph, a fourth-generation Puli Kali artiste, taking part in the celebrations is like an annual ritual. Joseph, who works as the IT head of an educational software company, is the team leader of Chakkamukku Desam, one of the nine groups taking part in the Puli Kali competition.

Joseph told The Telegraph that participating in the ritual mattered most for his team.

“The winner gets ₹62,500. Last year, our team spent ₹50 lakh to paint 51 Puli and 35 percussion artistes. For every Thrissur native, it’s the Puli Kali which matters the most after the famous Thrissur Pooram (a temple festival),” the 34-year-old said.

G. Suresh Kumar, 54, a vegetable stall owner at West Fort in Thrissur, has been taking part in the competition for more than two decades as a member of Kannuttakara Desam, another Puli Kali group.

“Each Puli Kali artiste requires ₹10,000 for the show. This year, Thrissur MP Suresh Gopi has ensured ₹3 lakh to each of the nine groups. Thrissur Corporation has also been providing ₹1 lakh each. A few private companies have come out with sponsorships,” Kumar said.