|
BHOOTHA WORSHIP
The spirit cult is an important socio-cultural phenomenon of coastal
Karnataka, which is viewed in the form of rituals and
beliefs , music and narratives, dances and dialogues,
social gatherings and entertainments trances and oracles,
miraculous healing of mental and physical disorders and settling of disputes and
querrel, this spiritualistic culture which is immigrated from
earliest inhabitants of the Negroid and Veddoid races
were later mixed with Australoid, Mediterranean
and other races which are responsible for the evolution of
Dravidian and Aryan communities. The Tulu language is a
Dravidian language did not develop a written
literature is the reason not much known outside
the district.
The cult or devil worship is known as Bootharadhane. The "Bhootas are ferocious and malignant
spirits bent upon harming human beings and their
job is only to bring harm to the people to
extract offerings from them" The spirits treat human
beings as their foster-children, safeguard their
interest, grants them freedom from fear, protect their
cattle and crop and look after their
health and welfare. The people in this area
worshipping Puranic Gods in the
temple under the leadership of Brahmin priest and
local spirits are personalized deities who influence
the lives of devotees in a more intimate
relationship.
The origin of the cult can be traced from ancestor
worship, mother goddess, serpent and trees
are incorporated. There are certain
spirits are originated from Hindu God Shiva who sends
the Bootas or Ganas to earth and ask them to
receive offerings from human beings.
The spirits like Panjurli, Pilichandi, Nandikona (pig,tiger,bull) are the best example. When the wild pigs began to spoil the crops the primitive manof the land might have thought it worthwhile to appease the spirit of this animal as a result of which cult might have come to vogue. Same thing with the tiger and bull. Also Ullalti is worshipped as mother goddess-she grants prosperity and fertility to the soil and controls epidemic diseases .Jamudi, Lakkesiri and Mariamma are connected with Puranic Deities like Dhumavathi, Rakteswari and Parvathi.(Jamudi is considered as half male and half female goddess), Vishnumurthi daiva represents Narasimha incarnation of God Vishnu.
The Bermeru is the spirit not connected
with puranic god Brahma. Koti-Chennaya,twin heroes who became
divinities after their heroic death are worshipped as
martial gods, sculptor Kalkuda and his sister
Kallurthi, Bobbarya of maritime achievements, Koddabbu the
champion of downtrodden have all become
spirits after their death. The spirit Annappa,
Abbage-Darage,Kalkuda, Koti-Channaya are raja daivas. The Guliga and
Chaundi are ferocious spirits and in the ceremonies
associated with them,sucking of the blood from a live chicken can be observed.
The Koraga, Taniya, Kamberlu, Koddabbu and
Tanimaniga are the spirits exclusively worshipped
by Harijan communities.
PAAD-DANAS :
The paad-danas are narrative legends describing the stories of spirits,its origin and heroic deeds and prowess. It also tells how spirits influence over wider region ,how it is appeased, how it grants the wishes of devotees and how it depicting the story of spirit concern, spectacular dance by priest-impersonator possessed by the spirit, wearing gorgeous costumes, masks and high crowns making awe-inspiring cries, performing miracles, heroic feats and delivering the message of divine spirit curing diseases, settling village disputes all these make a grand festival leaving a lasting impression on a spectator even if he is a non-believer.