A girl prays before boliya (mad) baba, a god popular among Karbis, at the dehal-rongker festival on Tuesday. Telegraph picture

Feb. 14: It is no more Dehal for the Karbis living in the plains or Rongker for the Karbis living in the hills. Now, the biggest festival of the Karbi community has become Dehal-Rongker, a result of a political movement that has gained momentum in the community.

Till a few years ago, Karbis of the plains called their annual festival Dehal (a derivation of the term deu xal, the place where spirits are evoked) which involves offering puja to Tamlong Sarpo Sarpe (two main deities of the Karbis who are identified as Shiva and Parvati by many). The Karbis of the hills, however, called it Rongker.

Today, on the second day of Dehal-Rongker festival, Karbi community members living in the city were upbeat.

According to tradition, Tamlong was awakened last night at the house of the bangthe (head of Karbi community) and shifted to the almost two-century-old village deu xal in upper Hengerabari.

“At night, sacrifices are made to appease the gods and goddesses. Besides Tamlong Sarpo Sarpe, the 33 crore gods and goddesses are also prayed to in this festival,” said Chandi Injal, the bangthe of upper Hengerabari area.

The festival is being organised centrally at Tamulkusi in Kamrup (metro) this time where Karbi people from across the state have merged.

After Karbi Anglong, Kamrup is the district which has the largest number of Karbi inhabitants.

“As different names were used for the same festival, it appeared that there was a vast difference between the Karbis in plains and hills. To bring them closer, our leaders decided to put the two words together for the festival. So our Dehal has changed to Dehal-Rongker,” said Injal.

“Re-christening the festival has not changed the rituals, which have come together from both the original festivals. People have been told by the leaders that all Karbis should get equal advantage. Now, those who are in the hills are getting some facilities which were not provided to the Karbis in plains. There is no difference among us. Our customs and rituals are same. Dehal-Rongker is a common festival for both of us,” said a villager.

“Basically, the puja is organised for the welfare of the people. All the gods and goddesses are prayed to so that the community lives in peace,” said Dhireswar Rahang, secretary of Karbi Cultural Society.

Rahang said although Tamlong Sarpo Sarpe are considered by many as Shiva and Parvati, they were Karbi deities.

“This new identity of the two Karbi deities appeared as soon as Hinduism crept into the Karbi people,” said Rahang.

Today, they are an inextricable part of Karbi culture.