ISSN: 2321-8819 (Online) 2 348-7186 (Print) Impact Factor: 1. 498 Vol. 5, Issue 4 , April 2017 73 Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, 5(4) April, 2017 Spacing the women in the patriarchal festivals. Vandana M. V. UGC Research scholar, Department of Sociology, University of Kerala. Karyavattom campus, Thiruvandthapuram-695581 Email: vandanasmiling@gmail.com Phone: +91 9048482096 ABSTRACT: The debating for the ‘space’ between genders had always been burning topic over the years, being in the 21 st century people, we still carry an impression of patriarchy among the genders. Kerala society possesses a history of matrilineal society, but when the women come to action are remaining under veils of patriarchy. The spacing women in public and private is clearly underlined by the (patriarchal) society. The breaking of trend was booming up in the various fields, but in the field of public festival celebration was with the 2016 Pulikkali festival celebration with which is part of the Onam festival celebrations. The involvement of Women participants as Puli (tiger) was a milestone in the history of women in the public space, keeping all the essence of Pulikali and Onam celebration. This paper intends in identifying how the gender stereotype had effected the patriarchal mind as well as identifying the public space for women in a male dominated festival. KEYWORDS : Sociology of space, Gender stereotypes, Onam Celebration. INTRODUCTION Identifying the space of the women in the society is a debate which the social scientists are trying answer for past a few decades. Even though the society guarantees fundamental rights to its citizens no matter what gender they belongs. But when looking closer to the topic of where the women is spaced in public is, “still under the veils”. In Indian context women’s public and private space is narrow down under the category of those who comes under the family ,marriage and values are private and those who come out the peripheral level of this is considered as public, which is strictly regulated by male authority (Ray, 2005). The public space whether it is rural or urban is still exclusive for male gender only, in this contexts women have to negotiate her public space by staying a step behind (Dewey, 2008). So when festivals, celebrations are considered as a social gathering which acts in holding its members together under one roof. Even though celebration and festivity is the foundation of togetherness, sometimes the question of gender, caste, class, etc. become huddle to the activity. Which is a global phenomenon. Similarly in Kerala for the Pulikali procession, which will be held as a part of Onam festival celebrations. The aesthetics of the procession remain in the wild macho-body exhibition as tigers with their tricks. Pulikali is a performances are made by non-trained artists 1 to entertain people on the fourth day of Onam (Nalaam Onam), where the performers are painted like tigers and hunters in bright yellow, red, and black colours and dances to rhythm of Asurathalam 2 with wild macho-spirit. In 2016, this tradition was broken by the women folk by performing the tiger in the public space which was only recognised for men. The history of Pulikkali (Bhalla, 2005) dates back to over 200 years, when the Maharaja Rama Varma Shakthan Thampuran, the Highness of Cochin, were said to have introduced the this folk art, who wanted to “celebrate Onam with a dance that reflected the wild and the macho spirit of the force”. Later, Muslim soldiers of the British Army stationed in Thrissur in the army cantonment area (now known to be as Pattalam Road) used to celebrate with great fervor. They popularized the folk genre with steps and body language peculiar to a tiger being stalked by a hunter, enacting a play of the hunter and the beast. Along with the celebrations, they used to perform the art form decked as tigers with peculiar steps resembling the tiger, then known as 'Pulikkettikali' which was immensely enjoyed by the locals. But there is an another story (Krishna, 2010) regarding the practice of Pulikkali got the origin from Muslims, they introduced it as for the recollection of the murder and martyrdom of the Ali, Prophet Mohammed’s son- in -law, who was a great warrior and thought to have possessed the strength of the tiger. Gradually other communities got influenced with it especially Tamil Konars and Chettiyaars which they started to perform it as Puli attam use to organise on the Pongal days. 1 The performers do dance Pulikkali according to the rhythm Asura Thala. Their dance is performed by keeping the hand to chest height, where the hands made like fist (mushti) ,i.e. when keeping the right hand the left leg is placed and in reverse, and also the performances are made in such a way that Puli’s highlight their belly and the picture (mainly the head of the tiger is been highlighted). 2 Asura thalam- (Thripuda-Thalam) - Asura thalam is the music or the rhythm used in the temples basically to please local deity, instruments are made of animal skin like Chenda, Udukku, etc.