PANJURLI GULIGA

*Panjurli* and *Guliga* are deeply revered deities in the coastal regions of Karnataka and Kerala, particularly within the Tulu-speaking community. Their stories, popularized by the film *Kantara*, are deeply rooted in ancient Sanatana history, mythology, and agricultural traditions. The Story of Panjurli (The Boar Deity) The name Panjurli is derived from the Tulu phrase "Panjida Kurle," which translates to "young wild boar" and is often associated with Lord Vishnu's Varaha avatar. Historically, as early humans began agriculture, wild boars would destroy their crops. People began worshipping these boars as divine forces to protect their harvests, leading to the origin of Panjurli's worship. According to mythology, a wild boar had five sons, but one newborn was left behind to suffer from hunger and thirst. Goddess Parvati rescued the piglet, taking it to Mount Kailash and raising it as her own. As the boar grew into a massive creature, it began destroying crops on Earth just to satisfy the itch in its tusks. **Lord Shiva initially intended to kill the beast, but upon Goddess Parvati's heartfelt prayers, he instead blessed the boar with divine power**. Shiva sent Panjurli to Earth as a guardian deity tasked with protecting humans and their agriculture. **Panjurli is known for his calm (Saumya) and forgiving nature**. He is primarily worshipped in the form of a boar, though in some places he is worshipped in human form wearing a mask, often alongside his sister Kallurti, with a famous temple dedicated to them in the Bantwal taluk. The Story of Guliga (The Fierce Kshetrapala) In stark contrast to Panjurli, **Guliga is an extremely fierce (Ugra) and unforgiving deity**. Guliga's origins lie in Mount Kailash, where Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati were performing a vigorous dance covered in ash. The ash mixed with their sweat, and when Lord Shiva threw a ball of this mixture to the ground, it exploded to reveal a terrifying, ravenous man. Given the name Guliga, he was instructed by Lord Shiva to establish Dharma on Earth, but his intense hunger remained unsatisfied. Shiva sent him to Lord Vishnu in Vaikuntha. Despite consuming the meat of thousands of elephants, horses, and camels, Guliga was still hungry. Vishnu then offered a drop of blood from his little finger, but Guliga's ferocity was so great that he nearly drained and killed Vishnu. Goddess Lakshmi had to intervene, using her hair to stop Guliga and pull Vishnu away, which finally satisfied his hunger. Because he was too difficult to manage in the divine realm, Guliga was sent to be reborn on Earth. He was destined to be the 24th child of Nenulla Sanke, a cruel demoness who devoured humans and had eaten her first 23 children. Refusing to be born the normal way, **Guliga burst forth from his mother's right breast, drank her blood, ate her liver, and killed his father, effectively freeing the people from their reign of terror**. Later, Guliga encountered Goddess Chamundi and mistakenly tried to approach her. She threw him to the ground using her hair, prompting Guliga to fall at her feet and seek forgiveness. Blessing him, *Goddess Chamundi named him Jogeshwari Guliga, handed him a sword and trident, and appointed him as a *Kshetrapala (guardian of the land) to protect the righteous**. The Conflict and the Bond Guliga's journey eventually led him to Tulunadu, where his path was blocked by Panjurli. **A fierce battle erupted between the two powerful deities, ending in a stalemate where neither could defeat the other**. Goddess Chamundi intervened once again, declaring them to be brothers and urging them to live in peace. Because of this divine truce, the calm Panjurli and the dangerous Guliga reside together peacefully and are worshipped side-by-side to this day. The Bhoota Kola Tradition These deities are primarily honored through **Bhoota Kola (or Deva Kola), an ancient and powerful ritualistic dance where the spirit of the deity enters the body of the dancer**. When only one divine spirit possesses the dancer, the ritual is called *Bhoota Kola*. When multiple deities manifest, it is referred to as *Deva Nema*. During these rituals, practices like the Barneko Puni are observed, where grain is offered to Panjurli in gratitude for protecting the crops. Through these dynamic performances, as well as oral traditions and recent films, the legends of Panjurli and Guliga continue to be passed down and preserved.