A CORRESPONDENT
LAKHIMPUR: The Aadivasi people celebrate a significant agricultural festival called Karam Parav in the month of Bhada and henceforward preserving their arts and culture. The Karam festival was celebrated at Joyhing of Lakhimpur district recently with a day long programmes under the auspices of the Lakhimpur district unit of All Assam Bhumij Samaj in association with Joyhing regional unit of the organization like various Aadivasi settlements of Lakhimpur district.
The celebration of the festival began with the welcoming of ‘Karam Daal’ (branch of Karam tree) and set up of ‘Pancha Sasya’ (germinated five species seeds) on ‘Akhora’ by ‘Karamoti’ (virgin girls). Then the ‘Pahan’- the storyteller addressed the virgin girls and asked them about the problems during the germination of the seeds and told them the story of Karam. After the Karam story was over, the girls broke their fast by receiving offerings of fruits (offered as Prasada) and celebrated the night with dances and songs of Akhara Vandana, Jhingafulia, Darshalia, Patashalia, Daharia, Rang, Khemta and Vincharia Jhumoi etc. In connection, a public meeting was organized, wherein Juhi Bhumij, the general secretary of All Assam Bhumij Mahila Samiti, analyzed the history of the festival and spoke about the expression of Jhumoi songs and dances. She said the Karam festival celebrated by the Aadivasi communities is entirely women-centric. The event was also attended by Lakhimpur district committee of Bhumij Yuva Mancha president Bijay Bhumij, secretary Bikash Bhumij. In the same event, as per suggestion of the Bhumij Samaj secretary in charge Niren Bhumij, decision was taken to publish a book on the language of the Bhumijs, the pronunciation of vowels and consonants of the same, to organize exhibitions on the customs of the Bhumij and Aadivasi culture. In the next morning, the girls immersed the Karam Dal in River Joyhing.
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