236. On Becoming Gods

Bhūta Kōlā, also referred to as Daiva kōlā or Nēmā, is a shamanistic ritual dance performance prevalent among the communities of Tulu Nadu and parts of 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 had it's influence on Yakshagana folk theatre. Būta kōlā is closely related to Theyyam of neighbouring state of Kerala. In this episode of BIC Talks, educator, writer and columnist Dr Purushottam Bilimale and researcher and writer Dr Indira Hegde talk about the history, social and religious aspects and contemporary relevance of this ancient ritual practice. Subscribe to the BIC Talks Podcast on your favourite podcast app! BIC Talks is available everywhere, including iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Castbox, Overcast and Stitcher.