Bhutas were used for worship of supernatural beings or divinised ancestral spirits in the coastal area of Karnataka and Kerala. There are around 350 Bhutas or ‘spirits’ which are broadly divided into heroes of the past who met untimely ends, animals, the elements, and some whose origins are not known.
This wooden Bhuta buffalo is most likely from Coastal Karnataka. An old collectible, the figure is painted in bright colours and is in good condition. It has a patch of paint missing at the top of the nose.
