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'Karam' adivasi festival celebrated

Karam is one of the major festivals of the adivasis celebrated on the 11th moon of the month bhado (this year it was 6th of September).  On this occasion a branch of the sacred karam tree is cut and brought ceremoniously to the courtyard and worshipped.  On this occasion the young yellow shoots of grain (jawa) specially grown by young women for the purpose are distributed to elders and children alike as a token of love and respect.  

Film on Birsa Munda

A research oriented film on the legendary tribal hero, Birsa Munda would soon hit the cinema halls.  The film was produced and directed by Bollywood film producer and director Rajesh Mittal.  The film may be released in October 2003 and could win both National and International acclamation.  Some of the prominent actors of the film are Ranjit Bihari, Deepti Naval, Seema Biswas, Tom Alter and Raghubir Yadav. 

Adivasi Karam Festival

Karam festival is a very important festival of the adivasis of Chotanagpur.  It is also celebrated by earlier non-tribal settlers who live in their villages.  It is celebrated in the eve of Bhado Suklapaksh Ekadasi as per the lunar calendar.  Accordingly, this year it fell on 22nd September 2007.

One week earlier from this date young women grow barley or maize sprouts under cover and away from sunlight so that shoots take the colour of yellow.  It is a day of fasting and the women pray specially for the well being of their brothers.  Eatables prepared for the festivals are pressed rice and sweets prepared from newly produced grain from the field.  Each ritual is accompanied by a lot of dancing.  The songs sung by the people have distinct seasonal flavour.

A branch with stem and stalks is cut from the Karam tree and taken in processing to the rice fields.  These twigs are set up as posts in the middle of the rice fields.  This may have obvious agricultural significance.  Modern science may interpret this measure as crop protection through biological methods as the erected branch of the tree attracts many birds to perch on them and preying on the insects that destroy the standing crops.

Roman Catholics and Karam festivals

Roman Catholics of Chotanagpur also celebrate the Karam festival in an organized way after the Second Vatican Council held in the 1960s.

Karam story

 startedDuring the worship of "Karam Raja" the Adivasi Priest or Pahan tells a story.  The story relates to own brothers named Karma and Dharma.  As Karma after long years of business and success in earning wealth returns home to his brother.  But his brother Dharma was so much occupied in the worship of Karam Raja that he neglected his brother in welcoming him.  Karma becomes very angry.  He pulls out the posted Karam branch and throws it away.  He also destroys all his brother's crops in a fit of raze.  However, he was surprised to find that he was unable to do any damage to the crops as the fields regained their luster.  On the other hand the treasure earned by Karma diminishing and he becomes very poor.  This continues for a long time.  After many episodes ultimately the Karam Raja forgives Karma.  He returns home again to his relatives and starts worshiping

 Karam Raja.  His life returns to the former glory.

Besides Chotanagpur Karma festival is celebrated in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Assam and Meghalaya.

The Union Budget and Rural and Tribal Development