Karam puja in the Dooars tea gardens
August or September, on the eleventh day of the bright half of Bhadra
Karam is kept by Oraon, Munda, Kharia and other Adivasi and Sadan families across Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal and Assam, and it came to the Dooars with the tea workers in the nineteenth century. It falls on Ekadashi, the eleventh day of the bright half of Bhadra, usually in late August or September. Young women fast, and a branch of the karam tree is brought into the village and planted in the dancing ground, the akhra.
In the evening the branch is worshipped and an elder tells the story of Karma and Dharma, two brothers, which explains the festival. Then the drums, the mandar and the nagara, start, and men and women dance in lines through the night. Next morning the branch is carried away and placed in a river or stream. Tea gardens often give a holiday.
How to do it well
- Go only with a local host or an invitation from the garden community
- Ask before photographing; many families prefer no cameras during the puja
- Join the dance only if you are invited to
- Dates follow the lunar calendar; check them each year
Questions travellers ask
Good to know
What is Karam puja?
Karam is a harvest and fertility festival of Adivasi communities such as the Oraon and Munda. A branch of the karam tree is planted in the village dancing ground and worshipped, the story of the brothers Karma and Dharma is told, and people dance through the night to drums. In the Dooars it is one of the main festivals of the tea-garden lines.
When is Karam celebrated in the Dooars?
On Ekadashi, the eleventh day of the bright half of the month of Bhadra, which usually falls between late August and late September. Celebrations start in the evening and go on through the night. The national parks are closed at this time, so combine it with a stay in a tea-garden area such as Samsing or Malbazar.
Can tourists attend Karam?
Karam is a religious and community festival, not a show. If your homestay host or driver comes from a tea-garden family, ask whether you may come along. Dress simply, stay at the edge, ask before taking photos and do not give money unless your host suggests a contribution to the village puja.
Where can I see Karam in the Dooars?
It is held in tea-garden lines and Adivasi villages all over the Dooars, from Malbazar and Chalsa to Birpara, Madarihat and Alipurduar. There is no single public venue. Some towns hold larger community programmes in the evening, which are easier for visitors to watch respectfully.