PANJURLI
Panjurli is the one of the most powerful spirits worshipped throughout the tulu speaking area. Being a spirit totemistic origin, panjurli got rooted in this region of agricultural and forest land worshipped both as a family deity in the households as well as in public shrines by the entire population. Different forms of punjurli namely Annappa panjurli, kuppe panjurli , baggu panjurli, malaara panjurli , botti panjurli , angana panjurli ,etc .are noticed . annappa panjurli of Dharmasthala is well known as the guardian angel of that place . One can come across different versions of the legend about the origin and diffusion of the spirits.All panjurli paad danas relating to its origin, diffusion, prowess and it can be collected in a single volume and it can constitute what may be known as a legend cycle called Panjurli Epic.
One popular version of the paad dana narrates the evolution of this spirit through the progenies of two wild pigs. Two pigs descended from the western ghats as brother and sister. They wanted to become husband and wife. God Subramanya blesses them and accordingly four children were born to them. One of them went up to Shiva’s garden and Parvathi keeps it as her pet. But when it started to destroy the garden, Shiva killed it and then brought it back to life at the request of Parvathi. Shiva then transformed it into a spirit and sent it to the earth as the protector of righteousness and truth. It was authorized to receive offerings from the people and safeguard their interests and punish those who do not accord due respect and devotion to it. As per another version of the Panjurlim legend, a boar was born from the drop of sweat fallen from the body of Vishnu when the three gods of creation, preservation and destruction were in a conference. The boar thus born became wild and started destroying the garden of heaven and hence ordered by Vishnu to go down to the earth, punish the sinner and receive offerings from the pious and devoted people. Panjurli came down to the earth and started spoiling the crops and people began to propitiate this spirit to protect their crops. It is quite possible that when the ancient Tuluva was troubled by the wild pigs he might have started worshipping the pig to ward off the menace of wild pigs. After what is known as Aryanization of the local beliefs the spirit was considered as originated from the Hindu Pantheon.
Panjurli is worshipped in a night-long ceremony with offerings of cock, rice and other objects. The impersonator, with loose hair, elaborate make-up, palm-leaf skirt and wearing head-dress ani of circular shape and a mask of pig performs different kinds of dances and delivers the divine massage. Broad black and red naama mark on forehead along with a red tilaka and the lines resembling the horn of the pig can be observed in the make-up.