Tiger Dancer

Pic courtesy: Rajesh Shetty

Mangalorean Tulu speaking people are generalised as 'Shettys', no matter they are Poojary, Bhandary, Hegde, Shettigar or otherwise.

I happened to meet this Shetty in Shediguri(Ashok Nagar) in Mangalore in the year 1974 where we lived in a rented house belonging to the Yenepoyas for 3 months from July to September. He had a shop near our home selling vegetables, fruits and a few grocery items. This Shetty was a courteous guy who called me 'Dhani'(Sir) even though I was just 17 then!

I used to buy bananas from him and a few vegetable items. He was very reasonable and he charged slightly lower price than in Mannagudda or Ballalbagh where we used to do most of the shopping. When the prices of vegetables and bananas went up during Dasara time in the latter half of September, he was very apologetic saying, "Onthe piriya atthe dhani. Maarnami kariyi boka sama aapundu."(Slightly costly now Sir. After Mahanavami/Dasara is over, prices come back to normal)

Starting from the 8th day of Dasara, we get to see many 'Pili Veshas' or Tiger Dance troupes going from home to home, dancing to the wonderful rhythm of 'Taashe' and 'Dhol', the local instruments that we used to compare with Afro beats of Santana, Osibisa and similar western artists of the early Seventies. Known people who lead the troupes  were paid well by the householders, anywhere from Rs.25/- to Rs.100/- those days and unknown ones were discouraged from dancing or they themselves avoided such homes.

On the Ninth day(Mahanavami) we heard the Pili Vesha band approaching our home and a troupe having 6-8 tigers entered the compound and started dancing aggressively! We never knew any known troupes from Ballalbagh or Mannagudda side reaching a far away place like Shediguri those days and my mother told me, "Stop them and tell them that we don't entertain strangers".

I obeyed her and politely told the vesha leader to move forward. I told him that we don't promote unknown people dancing the tiger and they are not going to get anything. I also added that I don't want to insult them by paying a Rupee or two!

Then that guy with a well protruded paunch smiled and told me humbly "Yaan dhani. Gurtha thikkije?"(It's me sir. Didn't you recognise me?)

Omigosh! It was our Shetty, the vegetable shop owner!

I felt ashamed and ran inside to inform mother that he's a known person. Mother also felt embarrassed and she said "Now I don't have change with me. All I have is a 5 Rupee note and a Hundred Rupee note. If I pay him 100 Rupees, your father will definitely take me to task!"

I took the 5 Rupee note and handed it over to Shetty. He immediately ordered the band to play again and started dancing feverishly with all the other members of the troupe for another 5 minutes and finally he did the back bend like a scorpion which we call 'Chelu Bagguvudu' and picked the 5 Rupee note with his lips, an act done mostly by those who are paid over Rs.25/-!

We all had a hearty laugh after he left our place with his troupe.