Buta Kola

Būta Kōlā, also referred to as daiva kōlā or nēmā, is a shamanistic dance performance prevalent among the Hindus of Tulu Nadu and parts of Malenadu of Karnataka and Kasargod in northern Kerala, India. The dance is highly stylized and performed as part of 'Bhootaradhana' or worship of the local deities worshipped by the Tulu speaking population. It has influenced Yakshagana folk theatre. Būta kōlā is closely related to Theyyam of North Malabar region. Koragajja is the most worshipped Daiva by the Tulu people and is prayed to for help in solving any problem, to get back something lost, or to get any work done on time. Panjurli, a boar spirit that is worshipped to ward off the menace of wild boars in order to protect the crops. According to Tulu mythology, a wild boar died in Lord Shiva's pleasure garden. The boar's offspring was adopted by Goddess Parvati. The young boar became destructive as he grew older and began destroying the plants and trees in Lord Shiva's garden. Lord Shiva became upset by this and decided to kill him. Goddess Parvati, however, defended the boar and asked her husband to pardon him. So instead of killing him, Lord Shiva banished the boar to earth as his Gana and tasked him with protecting the people of earth and assured him that he will be revered by the people as a protector god. This particular boar became a Bhoota (divine spirit) known as Panjurli. Most of the Tulu people believe that The Supreme Divine manifested himself in the form of Panjurli, so they call him Shiva Sambhoota (Avatar of Shiva) and Paramatma Panjurli. But some of the people syncretise Panjurli with Varaha, the boar incarnation of Vishnu, since the two deities are boars. Bobbarya, the God of the seas, is worshipped mostly by members of the fishing community. Kalkuda and Kallurti are Daivas who are brother and sister. According to legend, Kalkuda was a great sculptor who built the Gommateshwara statue in Shravanabelagola. After he completed building beautiful temples and monumental statues, the ruler of Karkala cut off his left arm and right leg so that he could not create such beautiful sculptures for any other king.