Bhuta Kola: Communion of Human and Supernatural across Caste Barriers
Words by Konkana Ray
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Bhuta Kola: Communion of Human and Supernatural across Caste Barriers by Konkana Ray
Amidst the vibrant festivities, a blend of devotion, curiosity, and a sense of wonder pervades the temple courtyard. Slow drum beats rumble through the chaos. Without notice, the tempo increases, causing the gathered onlookers to clam up as the beats build to a feverish crescendo. A spine-chilling yell rises from the shadows behind, followed by maniacal laughter. Eventually, terrifying shrieks fill the night.
With a bright yellow painted face, in elaborate headgear and enthralling attire, the performer takes centre-stage. Black paint encircles his bulging, unblinking eyes, which stare belligerently. As the performer begins to dance, the spirit enters his body. He begins strutting around the courtyard, his movements abrupt and apparently uncontrollable. The crowd recoils with a collective gasp whilst the entrance of the immortal spirit into this mortal world is witnessed. Believers across castes and classes admire the holy performer with utmost devotion as the possession continues.
This is Bhuta Kola, known across Southwestern India and beyond as one of the most vibrant folk traditions to revere spirits. Dating back at least 1,500 years, the sights and sounds of Bhuta Kola are at the core of the culture of Tulu Nadu. The world of Bhuta Kola is intrinsic to Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, and Kerala’s Kasaragod district, located picturesquely between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea. This region has a tradition of an annual ceremonious performance to invoke spirits, protectors, demi-Gods, and tribal deities.
A Bhuta Kola is a sacred ritualistic art form where a host of local spirits and deities are invoked to propitiate them and seek their blessings for the community. In the Tulu language, Bhuta implies a spirit or a great unseen power in its various forms, and kola stands for a play or performance. The word Bhuta, also known as Daiva, here implies a positive connotation unlike the usual meaning of ‘demon’ attached to it. Even today, Bhuta Kola undergirds the everyday lives of many people across caste and class divides. The Kannada blockbuster ‘Kantara’ released a few months ago has brought this cultural tradition into mainstream discussion, giving it a new sense of immortality.