Bhoota kola is an ancient ritual form of spirit worship among the people of coastal Karnataka,India. It is performed to appease and solicit assistance from the spirit intended for the blessings of the supernatural like "in Indus Valley and other ancient civilizations. The most important aspect of Bhoota worship is possession, trance and the dialogue of the possessed impersonator with the devotees. The Bhoota impersonator-dancer behaves like an incarnation of the concerned spirit, listens to the worries and problems of the devotees, warns and comforts them, solves their mental and physical problems. He acts like a healer and solves the legal and judicial problems of the village. This complex system of rituals and beliefs, music and narratives, dances and dialogues, trances and oracles reflects the socio-economic orders, thought patterns, artistic achievements and socio-cultural values enshrined in the rustic societies of different regions.
