Bhoota Kola: Dance of spirits beyond barriers of caste and time

India Today

04-05-2025

"A vessel that is full cannot hold any more substances; only an empty vessel can be filled. That is why the duty of performing Bhoota Kola was assigned to the poor and backward communities," says Dayanand G Kathalsar, a Bhoota Kola practitioner from coastal Karnataka.Kathalsar, a person from the backward Pambada caste, also described to India Today Digital how it felt being "possessed" by a spirit while performing Bhoota Kola. A performer, who is generally from lower castes, after being "possessed", transforms into a deity, who is then worshipped by people from all castes and communities.advertisementBhoota Kola is a ritualistic art form that traces its origins to animistic practices. Thousands of performances of Bhoota Kola, which literally translates to 'the dance of the spirits', are held every year in the villages of coastal Karnataka and Kerala from November to May.
Viewers who were unaware of this ritual got a glimpse of Bhoota Kola in the Rishabh Shetty-starrer Kantara.A Bhoota Kola performance, which merges the spiritual and material worlds, is magical. The ritual also bridges caste divides, as members of every caste have assigned roles.An age-old ritual of the Tuluva or Tulu-speaking people of Karnataka and Kerala, Bhoota Kola is the worship of the spirit of ancestors (bhoota). This is also a celebration of tribal heroes who are believed to have fought against discrimination and protected their land and people. advertisementBefore the ritual, Bhoota Kola performers spend nearly two hours transforming into the deity, adorning themselves with vibrant garments, silver ornaments, elaborate face paint, and a towering headdress. (Video credit: Vaishakh Mijar)Originally, the spirits were those of the tribals, and it is they who continue to be the key Bhoota Kola performers. Some deities are worshipped in the form of animals.With the passing of time, however, several Dravidian socio-cultural practices have come to be incorporated into the rituals.WHAT IS BHOOTA KOLA PERFORMANCE LIKEBhoota Kola is a ritualistic theatrical dance performance, where a practitioner disguises himself as a deity by applying make-up, wearing a red costume, a large anklet called the 'gaggara', a grand headdress, and wrapping his waist with coconut leaves.The performance takes place on a specific date decided by the villagers, at a specific time (usually at night), and at a 'Daivastana', a sacred location that is dedicated to the deity.
Villagers accompany people dressed as deities towards the Daivasana, a place the deities are believed to reside. (Images: Anoop Soorinje)
The performance starts with the practitioner singing the oral folklore 'Paddana', which includes the story of the spirit's origin, adventures, struggles, death, and how it came to be worshipped across Tulunadu -- the region comprising three districts of Karnataka and Kasargod district of Kerala.After the singing of 'Paddana', the performer appears in front of the 'Gudi' disguised in his attire.Everyone prays and chants, urging the spirit to take hold of the practitioner. As the chants reach a crescendo, the drum beats and trumpet sounds intensify. The practitioner begins to shiver and shake and enters a state of trance, indicating that he has been "possessed".HOW BHOOTA KOLA WAS MISUNDERSTOOD AS 'DEVIL WORSHIP'For centuries, there was no documentation of Bhoota Kola. The stories and heritage of this tradition were preserved only in Paddannas or oral folklore. The first historical evidence of this ritual is found in the inscriptions from the 12th century at Karkala's Shiva Temple, and excavations at Karnataka's Udyavara, Kapu and Basrur.The first book on Bhoota Kola, 'The Devil Worship of the Tuluvas', was written in 1894 by British scholar Arthur Coke Burnell. However, the author misinterpreted 'Bhoota' as 'devil', which led to the misconception in the West and also in parts of India that Bhoota Kola is "devil worship".advertisementIn recent years, there have been several in-depth studies on Bhoota Kola.Research scholars claim that a total of 400 Bhootas (deities) are worshipped as part of the ritual across the region of the Tuluva people. The Bhoota Kola performer enters a trance-like state after being "possessed" by the spirit of the deity. He is believed to be channeling divine justice and delivering oracles to the community. (Video Credit: Vaishakh Mijar)ROLES OF DIFFERENT CASTES IN BHOOTA KOLA"Bhoota Kola is a collective worship that includes every caste practised in Tulunadu. Each caste has its responsibilities within the tradition," says K Chinappa Gowda, a folklorist and a former professor of Mangalore University."The Parava, Pambada, and Nalike communities, who are considered to be the backward communities, are given the role of being a medium between the deity and worshippers. They are also considered the real custodians of the tradition, as they hold the deepest understanding of its practices," Mangalore-based Gowda tells India Today Digital.The expert said that the Jains or Bunts, traditionally landlords of the region, oversee the arrangements and finance the event. Other essential duties are carried out by communities, including the Billavas, Madivalas, Devadigas, Mogaveeras and Koragas.advertisement"The Brahmin community entered the tradition at a later stage. Their involvement introduced certain Vedic elements into this tribal culture," says Gowda. "Rituals like morning 'hawans', which were absent earlier, have become more common in recent times as part of efforts to 'purify' the space."
In Bhoota Kola, a large anklet known as Gaggara (L) is used to create a rhythmic, thunderous sound that dramatises the performer's movements and helps invoke the presence of the spirit during the ritual.The dancer's headpiece (R), shaped like the boar-faced deity, is treated like an idol. It's worshipped daily and ceremoniously placed on the practitioner's head after being taken out of the Daivastana on the day of the Bhoota Kola event. (Images: Anoop Soorinje)
While there are festivals and places of worship that, till date, bar people from certain castes and communities, the unique tradition of Bhoota Kola, which is over 800-years-old, is very inclusive.advertisementThe ritual is unimaginable without the marginalised Nalike, Parava, and Pambada communities, members of which disguise themselves as a deity, and are worshipped by everyone present during the ritual, regardless of any caste hierarchy.During Bhoota Kola, villagers consult the "posessed" practitioner, who turns into an oracle, regarding any personal problem or family conflict. The practitioner delivers judgment on behalf of the deity in cases of conflict, and the verdict is respected by all.HOW BHOOTA KOLA HAS EVOLVEDBhoota Kola has evolved over the centuries but still remains primitive and esoteric.It is simple and nature-oriented, and every commodity required in the ritual is derived from nature. It is also true that in recent times Bhoota Kola has turned grander and more vibrant with some commercialisation. However, the Tulu people zealously guarded the rituals, ensuring the core remained unaffected.
Bhoota Kola is rooted in tribal tradition but attended by people from several communities. (Image: Anoop Soorinje)
Over the centuries, Bhoota Kola has also seen some influence of Vedic practices.For the people of Tulunadu, Bhoota Kola is a link to their ancestors and symbolic of their identity. It is also a ritual that is inclusive, where every caste and community has a role to play, and that is the guiding spirit of Bhoota Kola.Must Watch