Art & Culture    
Two Nights with the Spirits
Bhuta Nrtya in Kondla – 5
by Neria Harish Hebbar, MD

Kadapu Panjurli of the Hilltop

Early next night, I went to see the formidable bhuta that has taken the form of a wild boar.  This spirit called Kadapu Panjurli dances in front of a gudi on a hill.  This is also a female bhuta and the origin of the bhuta is interesting.  Long time ago, it was common for the villagers to be threatened by herds of elephants.  The elephants caused much destruction of life and crop.  The villagers used to dig wide pits and ditches (known as kadapu) around the village to prevent the elephants from venturing into their lands.  This was not always successful, they believed, unless they had the protection and blessings of this bhuta – Panjurli with the face of a wild boar. 

Kadapu Panjurli seeking blessings before the performance

The bhuta dance starts with the priest giving the dancer coconut oil in his hand.  Kadapu Panjurli is immediately possessed, as soon as the oil touches the dancer’s hand.  He pounces and rolls on the ground shaking and vibrating, as the loud music hits a crescendo, and eventually passes out after a series of uncontrollable conniptions.  When the dancer comes to his senses, he proceeds to adorn his makeup, while the women of his family sing the Pad-dana and recount the bhuta’s history.  When the makeup is done the bhuta is transformed and dances to vigorous trumpets, horns and drums until she is exhausted.  She demands more coconut water, toddy and fowl.  When she is presented with a rooster, she kills it and symbolically eats it while trembling as if she is possessed.  The scene is gruesome.

Kadapu Panjurli with the sacrificial fowl and the mask of the boar.

Needless to say, I was a bit shaken after this dance performance.  Fortunately, this ritual is performed only once in two years.  The bhuta in her trance had to be cooled down by the villagers with fans. She stared down the whimpering villagers who promised to appease her more than they already had with more gifts.  Finally, when she settled down, she went around blessing the villagers.  I left to catch a few hours of sleep before the next performance in the Lower Kondla later that night.

– Continued 

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