TULUNADU CULTURES
Culture is the characteristics and knowledge of a particular group of people, encompassing language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music and arts.
Culture encompasses religion, food, what we wear, how we wear it, our language, marriage, music, what we believe is right or wrong, how we sit at the table, how we greet visitors, how we behave with loved ones, and a million other things.
Tulu Nadu (ie, Dakshina Kannada and parts of Udupi district of Karnataka) is known for its unique cultural heritage. An important part of its culture is ‘Bhoota Aradhane’ (also known as Daiva Aradhane) or Spirit worship.
Bhoota Aradhane, also called ‘Bhoota Kola’ or ‘Nema’, is characterized by storytelling (in ballads or ‘paddanas’), which extols the virtues and deeds of the spirits, thereby inviting the spirit to possess the impersonator, who dances nightlong to rhythmic hypnotic drum beats.
