Karam festival
Karam (colloquially Karma) is a harvest festival celebrated in Indian states of Jharkhand, West Bengal, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Odisha and Bangladesh. It is dedicated to the worship of Karam-Devta (Karam-Lord/God), the god of power, youth and youthfulness. It celebrated for good harvest and health.
| Karam | |
|---|---|
| Also called | Festival of Harvest |
| Type | Regional Festival/Indian festival |
| Significance | Harvest festival |
| Observances | Jharkhand, Assam, Chhattisgarh, parts of West Bengal, Odisha and Bangladesh |
| Begins | Ekadasi tithi (eleventh day) of lunar fortnight of Bhado |
| Date | August–September |
| Frequency | annual |
The festival is held on the 11th day of a full moon (Purnima) of the Hindu month of Bhado, which falls between August and September. Unmarried girls fast and grow seedlings for 7-9 days. Then next day, groups of young villagers go to the jungle and collect wood, fruits, and flowers. These are required during the puja (worship) of the Karam God. During this period, people sing and dance together in groups. The entire valley dances to the drumbeat "day of the phases". The Karam festival celebrated by diverse groups of people, including: Munda, Ho, Oraon , Bagal, Baiga, Binjhwari, Bhumij, Kharia, Kudmi, Karmali, Lohra, Korwa and many more.