THE GODDESS TREE--KARMA
The Group dance
PLACE-VILLAGE PANDHDA,MAYURBHANJ,ODISHA,INDIA
Photo:SanjoyKumar Satpathy
This triba festival of Orissa
is observed as a mark of respect to the “Karama tree” which is worshipped by
these tribal. The presiding deity of this festival is either 'Karama', a God or
'Karamasani', a Goddess who is represented with a branch of Karama tree. The
celebration takes place in the bright half of the month of 'Bhadrab' during the
rainy season. As a ritual, people go to the jungle accompanied by groups of
drummers and cut one or more branches of Karama tree. These branches are mostly
carried by unmarried young girls who sing in praise of the deity. The branches
are brought to the village and planted in the centre of a ground, which is
plastered with cow-dung and decorated with flowers. After performing all
rituals, the tribal priest known as Jhankar or Dehuri offers germinated grams
and liquor in propitiation to the deity who grants wealth and children. A fowl
is also sacrificed and the blood is offered to the branch. Then, he narrates a
legend to the villagers about the efficacy of Karama Puja.
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