Ranchi: A festival that celebrates the brother-sister bond and popular in Maithilanchal in Bihar, was celebrated in Jharkand's capital on Friday, thanks to women who trace their roots back to Bihar.

Glimpses of Sama-Chakeva, a nine-day festival were witnessed in several Ranchi homes as women originally from Bihar's Maithilanchal were seen making clay dolls of the mythical characters Sama and Chakeva and colouring them with naturally available dyes like turmeric.

"The festivity starts on the seventh day of the bright half of Kartik, which coincides with the month of November. The idols are submerged in ponds on Kartik Purnima," Indira Jha, a home maker residing in Ranchi for the last 35 years explained while colouring the clay toys.

Jharkhand Maithili Manch president and ward 37 councillor Arun Kumar Jha said a grand programme has been organised at Vidyapati Dalan in the evening.

"Sama-Chakeva are finally broken and dumped in ploughed fields. Thus we have invited all the women at one place in a ploughed field on the campus of Jharkhand Maithili Manch office. They will sit together, sing Maithili songs devoted to Sama-Chakeva and return after dumping the broken Sama-Chakeva in the ploughed field," Jha said.

According to legend the celebration of Sama-Chakeva originates from the tragic tale of Sama, the daughter of Krishna as described in the Puranas. The story goes that a wicked character falsely accused Sama of having illicit connections with an ascetic. Krishna got furious and cursed her to become a bird. However, when Sama's brother, Chakeva came to know about the episode, he observed self-penance. Sama returned to human form following her brother's affection and sacrifice for her. The tradition is regarded as highly as Rakhi, another festival that celebrates the brother-sister relationship.