CENSUS OF INDIA, 1971 MYSORE Series 14 SPECIAL STUDY REPORT ON BHUTA CULT IN SOUTH KANARA DISTRICT P. P adlDan abha OF THE INDIAN ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE DIRECTOR OF CENSUS OPERATIONS MYSORE FOREWORD It has been one of the traditions of the Census Organisat.ion to study and present material regarding social, cultural and economic facets of the population as part of the total census activity. ' Very authoritative and informative publications have often been brought out by the Census Organisation in the States and in the country almost since the time the census came to be established as a regular feature of administrative activity in the country. In keeping with this tradition, we are happy to present this study on the Bhuta Cult in South Kanara District of Karnataka. This study was undertaken by Shri K. Sanjiva Prabhu who was till recently a Deputy Director of Census Operations in the State more as a love of labour. At the time I had suggested that Deputy Directors could bring out monographs on subjects of personal interest, he readily agreed to prepare a monograph on this subject and, even after reversion to the State Gov­ ernment after his term in the Census Organisation was over, he continued to enthusiastically carry out field work and research work for the completion of this monograph. This monograph represents the result of local en­ quiry and reference to available published material. Shri Sanjiva Prabhu had the assistance of many experts in the preparation of this monograph and I would like to thank them also on behalf of the Census Department. I need scarcely mention that this monograph is presented as a preliminary study of a fascinating subject. The views expressed herein are those of Shri SanjiVa Prabhu and do not represent the official views of th~ Census Department. (iii) (iv) If the monograpp st_imtllate? i merest ill I he subjeci and results in further expertise bcjng brought to bear on this facet of our culture, the labour of Shri Sanjiva Prabhu would have been more than amply re,\'arded. P. PADMANABHA BANGALORE) Director of CerlSlI5 ()I)('r{llilln~ Dated: 4th Oct. 1976. Karnalaka PREFACE Bll1da 'worship is quite common in South Kanara District. One commonly comes across a Bhuta shrine, a Naga Bana with serpent stones and a Ashtuat/w Katte (pipal tree with a platform) in villages. Almost all people, among the Hindus and JaiJ1S and some among Christians and Muslims also believe in this cult. In a large number of ancestral households, Bh Ilia has a place of its Olvn in a corner or a separate room of the house. In almost every village, there is some kind of sthana for the Bhuta. 'rhere are Bhutas attached to estates and property. There are Bhutasthanos for Bhutas which are conceived as tutelary Bhuta~ in respect of specific gronps of Villages catleu Mllgallt:s and Simes. The Bhuta worship plays a prominent part in social and economic fields of the village life. Agricultural operations are associated with it. No marriage or other religious function takes place without first offering obla­ tions or puja to Bhutas. On festival occasions too, Bhutas are ·worshipped. Bhutas are invoked to ensure a good crop and secure protection for the cattle wealth. Bhutas are propitiated to beget children, to appease and commemorate the departed souls and to cure diseases. Lastly, Bhutas are invoked to settle disputes in the family or in the village. Thus, BIni/a cult pervades the various fields of day-to-day life of the village rustic in this coastal district of Mysore State (Karnataka). In the propitiation of Bhutas almost all the castes in the village are actively involved and there are func­ tionaries who get into a trance or get 'possessed' and speak as oracles, thus personifying the Bhutas. These impersonators, ~n a state of trance, provide solutions to the problems submitted to the Bhuta by the votaries. I n the District Gazetteer of South Kanara District compiled in the 1890s by J. Sturrock, I.C.S., this cult (v) (vi) is referred to in passing and is treated as demonolatry. Somewhat earlier to the compilation of the Gazetteer, Rev. A. Manner, a German Missionary at Mangalore had taken pains to collect and print a few Pad-danas in Kannada script. (Pad-dallas arc Tulu folk-songs sung at the time of Blntta worship when the imperso­ nator gets into trance). His object to get these printed was to circulate them amongst the missionaries to enable them to understand the religious beliefs of the natives (i.e. Indians) and to provide the missionaries with the necessary material to preach the 'hollowness' of this belief and entice them to embrace Christianity. Belonging to the coastal district, as I am, and finding that the Bhuta worship is widely popular in towns and villages, this cult having contributed not a little to several aspects of socio-economic and socio­ cultural activity of the rural society, I thought it ·worth­ while to collect and compile the customs, manners, beliefs and rituals relating to this cult. I find that it dominates the life of the lowest rungs and fills the thoughts of the higher strata of society. It appears to have been the pivot round which the primitive society has been built up and it is interesting' to note that it continues to animate the beliefs and ideals of the advanced people even to the present day. So, when an offer came from Shri P. Padmanabha, l.A.S., Director of Census Operatiuns in l\fysore, Bangalore, that the Divisional Deputy Directors of Census Operations may bring out a monograph on any interesting subject, I offered to bring out one on the B.hnta cult as obtaining in South Kanara District. vVhile doing so, I knew mv limitations as a lay-man, but at the same time in view of my considerable experience and contacts in the rural parts of the South Kanara gained over a period of 20 years while ·working in various executive capacities in the district, I was confident of collecting the material. Despite this initial confidence, many a time I wavered when it came to brass-tacks. I should confess here (vii) that it is our Director, Shri P. Padmanabha, l.A.S., 'who gave me timely encouragement and infused in me the necessary enthusiasm to proceed with the 'write-up and complete it. But for his encouragement this mono­ graph would not have seen the light of the day. I remain ever grateful to him. Further, I consider it my foremost duty to express my deep sense of gratitude to the Registrar General, India, for having provided me with an opportunity to offer this humble contribution of mine to the illustrious Census tradition. I visited many important villages and places of Bhuta 'worship during the course of this investigation in 1972-7 g as well as in my executive capacity in the Revenue Department in the past. I prepared my O"wn notes of the places, shrines and festivals. In highlight­ ing the several customs, manners, rituals and ceremonies relating to the BInda 'worship, I should say, I have described them as witnessed by me personally or as information gathered by me through informal inter­ views and discussions with responsible elders of the place. I took particular care to cross-check my notes 'with several other well-informed persons conversant with Bhuta rituals living in different villages. I may however add that I have not hazarded (0 express any expert opinion or dra'w any definite conclusions but have largely confined myself to the presentation of facts so that the reader may draw his own conclusions. In the course of my tours I developed contacts with knowledgeable local persons who not only helped me to obtain relevant information but also encouraged me to write about the subject by asuring me all help and assistance in the matter. The following are the gentle­ men, among them, who assisted me greatly in this behalf and guided me and therefore deserve a special mention. (viii) 1. Shri K. S. Upadhyaya, Printer and Journalist, Siddartha Press, G.T. Street, Mangalore. 2. Shri Yerea Laxminarayana Alva, Amtady Vil­ lage. Bantwal Taluk. 3. Shri Amrutha Someshwar, Kannada Vidwan, Vivekananda College, Puttur. 4. Shri M. R. Prabhu, M.A., Lecturer, Canara College, Mangalore. 5. Shri M. M. Prabhu, Mangalore. 6. Dr. P. Gururaja Bhatt, 1\:1.A., B.T., Ph.D., Principal, Milagres College, Kallianpur, South Kanara and President, Association of Indologi­ ,cal Studies (Regd.), South Kanara. 7. Dr. K. V. Ramesh, Office of the Chief Epigra­ phist, Archaeological Survey of India, Mysore. 8. Shri P. K. Misra, Regional Officer, Anthropo­ logical Survey of India, Mysore. I offer all of them my sincere thanks. I express my thanks to Shri M. S. Ramachandra. S.T.A., who has taken great pains to go through the text and assist me in drafting, this monogranhL 1 with his personal suggestions. I am thankful to Shri Amar Singh, Photographer, Social Studies Division, Office of the Registrar General, India, for his valuable services with regard to the photographic coverage of the subject dealt with in this study. Regarding the line dra'wings I gratefully ack­ nowledge the timely help so gladly offered by Shri K. Chakraborthv, Director, All India Handicrafts Board, Regional D~sign Centre, Bangalore. Shri K. Vittala Bhandary of the A.I.H.B., Regional Design Centre, Bangalore, Shri H. Vijayendra Rao and Shri S. Raman (ix) both of the Directorate of Census Operations, Mysore, Bangalore are the artists who prepared the line draw­ ings included in this volume and to all of them I offer my thanks.