The Salandar area of Thakurgaon vibrant with festive colors, music, and dance centered around a Karam tree branch as the Oraon community celebrated their traditional Karam Festival on Friday night at Panchpirdanga village in Sadar upazila, praying for happiness, peace, prosperity, and a bountiful harvest.
The main festivities commenced at 9:00 PM, turning into a lively gathering as children, adolescents, men, and women joined in rhythm with the beat of traditional drums (dhol and madol).
The festive atmosphere had been brewing in Panchpirdanga village of Salandar union for days prior. Clad in colorful attire, community members participated while playing traditional instruments. Locals and visitors from surrounding areas flocked to witness the celebration.
A central ritual of the Karam Puja involves erecting a Karam tree branch, for which Oraon women observe fasting from sunrise to sunset. Afterward, accompanied by music and folk dances, the branch is collected and installed on the altar.
Puja Celebration Committee President Bishwanath Kerketta stated that the annual worship is organized to seek protection from perils, ensure good harvests, and invite prosperity.
Following the installation of the branch, the main cultural event began. Children and youths joined adults in dancing to the beats of drums, fostering a vibrant environment of communal harmony and cultural preservation. Visitors from neighboring districts also expressed delight in witnessing the rich heritage. Organizers hope to expand the scale of the festival in future years.
Attending guests praised the Oraon community's traditions, with District BNP Joint General Secretary Shariful Islam Sharif and Sadar Upazila BNP President Abdul Hamid assuring support for their socio-economic development.
Organizers noted that the Karam festival spans three days at the transition of Bhadro and Ashwin. Following Friday night's core rituals, the celebrations concluded on Saturday morning (September 19) with the immersion of the Karam branch in a river.
National Adivasi Parishad Advisor Advocate Md. Imran Hossain Chowdhury emphasized the need for increased government support to organize the festival on a broader platform.
The gathering was also attended by Puja Celebration Committee President Bishwanath Kerketta, local dignitaries, Thakurgaon Press Club General Secretary Tanvir Hasan Tanu, and journalists from various print and electronic media.
— Daily Best News Desk • Fearless in the search for truth
Reported by Mansur Ali Sarker, Thakurgaon • Edited by the Daily Best News desk. Send corrections to [email protected].
