Under the latest and popular online series of Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya entitled ‘Exhibit of the Week’ the “Chikku/ Cikku” (A wooden statue related to Bhutta cult) collected from 1998. The Community of Folk, Udupi, Karnataka. It’s Measurement Height –49 cm., Width –17 cm., displayed in the audience as the First Exhibit of the month of July, 2022 through official website, Facebook, Instagram and twitter page of the IGRMS.
In this regard Praveen Kumar Mishra, Director, IGRMS said that Chikku or Cikku is a wooden figure associated with the traditional Bhutta cult prevalent in the southern part of coastal Karnataka and the Northern part of Kerala. Bhutta cult is a form of spirit worship. The present object, personified as the female figure of the spirit is portrayed in a standing posture adorned with traditional ornaments and dresses. The face is alluringly depicted with an expression of bold eyes. Chikku is generally installed in a separate hall called Uru-saale of Mekkikattu which is regarded to be the place where idols representing Bhuttas (the spirits) are congregated in a designated place. It is said that the Bhutta cult worships ethereal spirits or demi-gods. The belief is that these spirits possess both benevolent and malevolent qualities and could influence human health, fertility, fortune, and the land and cattle; they need to be appeased. It is also believed that every spirit has a unique form, mythic history, special powers, and propitiatory requirements.
The idol is crafted by Gudigar, a community of wood carvers in the region. It is prepared from jackfruit wood and uniquely portrayed by using bright red, yellow, and black colours that were traditionally obtained from locally available natural resources.