20 September 2026 · Blog
Karma Puja: the night of the karam tree
Karma (also Karam) is celebrated on Bhadrapada Shukla Ekadashi by the Oraon, Munda, Kurmi, Santhal and many other communities. In 2026 the state holiday fell on Tuesday 22 September, followed by Phoolkharkosi on 23 September.
Jawa: a small field in a basket
About a week before Karma, unmarried girls sow barley, maize, gram and other grains in small bamboo baskets filled with sand. They water them, sing over them every evening, and keep them in the dark so the sprouts come up pale yellow. This is jawa — a wish for a good harvest and for fertility.
Bringing the karam branch
On the day of Karma, young people go to the forest with drums, fast, and cut branches of the karam tree (Haldina cordifolia). They are carried back carefully — they must not touch the ground — and planted in the middle of the akhra, the village dance ground.
The story
The pahan tells the story of two brothers, Karma and Dharma. Karma, busy with his work, insulted the karam deity, and misfortune followed him wherever he went. Only after he went searching for the deity, repented and brought it back did prosperity return. The story reminds everyone that hard work and respect for nature have to go together.
All night in the akhra
After the story, the jhumar and karma songs start. Women and men dance in lines with linked arms, stepping forward and back to the mandar until dawn. In the morning the branches are immersed in the river, and the jawa sprouts are shared and worn in the hair and ears. Sisters also tie karam threads for their brothers.