The būta cult is prevalent among the non-Brahmin Tuluvas of Tulu Nadu region in Karnataka, India. A būta kōla is typically an annual ritual performance where local spirits or deities (būtas, daivas) are being impersonated by ritual specialists from certain scheduled castes. The ritual performance starts late night and goes on till early morning, it involves music, dance, recital, and elaborate costumes. In kōlas family and village disputes are referred to the spirit for mediation and adjudication. In feudal times, the justice aspect of the ritual included matters of political justice, such as the legitimation of political authority, as well as aspects of distributive justice. In this case there was a dispute in the family members over a piece of land.  The būta may take the opinions of the village headman and other eminent persons into consideration, the ultimate judgement rests with the būta. Sometimes judgements are also issued by the tossing of betel leaves and the counting of flower petals (usually areca flower).