BHOOTA KOLA - ART AND CULTURE
News: The
night of Bhoota Kola
What's in the news?
● As
the evening deepens into an inky darkness of the night, the people of the
village of Mujungavu near Kumabala in Kasaragod, Kerala, gather around to watch
the Bhoota Kola.
Key takeaways:
● The
air is suffused with anticipation and hope, for the Bhoota Kola is an oracle
and prayers to it are believed to bring
them fortune and relieve them of their problems.
Bhoota Kola:
● Bhoota
Kola is an animistic ritual dance performance
where local spirits or deities are worshiped.
● It
is believed that a person performing the ritual has temporarily become a god
himself.
● This
performer is both feared and respected in the community and is believed to give
answers to people’s problems, on behalf of the god.
● The
ritual involves music, dance, recital,
and elaborate costumes.
States Celebrating Bhoota Kola:
● Originally
from Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts of Karnataka and the northern parts
of Kasaragod district, the Bhoota Kola has striking similarities with Kerala's
Theyyam, but has subtle differences too.
● There
are several ‘Bhootas’ who are worshiped in the Tulu-speaking belt of Karnataka and Kerala.
● It
is usually performed in small local communities and rural areas.
Tuluvas:
● The
Tuluvas, the people who speak the Tulu
language, believe in animism and the Bhoota Kola is performed to invoke
these spirits of Nature.
● The
traditional right to perform the kola belong to the Nalike and Parava tribes of
the region.
● A
typical Bhoota Kola season starts in January and extends to May.