Bhuta kola
A night rite in coastal Karnataka and north Kerala in which a performer becomes a guardian spirit, a bhuta, and speaks for it.
Also: bhoota kola, bhuta aradhane, daiva kola, spirit worship of tulunadu
Bhuta kola is the spirit worship of the Tulu-speaking coast. Communities honour guardian spirits, bhutas or daivas, such as Panjurli, the boar spirit, and Guliga. On the night of the rite, a hereditary performer, from communities such as the Nalike, Pambada and Parava, is dressed in painted face, bright skirts and a headdress and is believed to be entered by the spirit. He then hears disputes, gives judgements on land and conduct, and blesses families. The shrine, the rules and the spirit's family are specific to each village and household. Many outsiders first heard of it through the 2022 Kannada film Kantara. The rite is a living practice, not a show.