Tribal girls perform a traditional dance on the occasion of Karma festival in Rourkela on Sunday. Picture by Uttam Kumar Pal

Rourkela, Sept. 15: Residents celebrated Karma, a colourful tribal festival dedicated to Nature, with much fun and vigour here today.

The residents, most of them tribals, observe this festival after the sowing of seeds. They pray to Mother Nature to bless them with a good harvest so that there is no shortage of food.

Unmarried girls observe a fast to pray for the good health of their brothers on this festive occasion.

Sarna Parthana Sabha, president, Manilal Karkata, said the residents start preparing for this festival about a week before its arrival.

“On the day of the festival, people go to the Karma tree, where the priest performs a puja in the afternoon. Unmarried young boys climb the tree and cut three twigs off it. They try to ensure that the twigs do not touch the ground. Later, the twigs are pressed into the soil at Akhada, a sacred place where the deities are placed and puja is performed. Girls, who observe a fast in the daytime, break it there,” said Karkata.

After that, people sing songs, dance and make merry till late in the night. On the next morning, the twigs are immersed in the nearby water body to mark the end of the festival.

Residents said they were very excited about the festival. At least at 10 different places in the city, including Orampada, Jhirpani and Jagda, the festival was celebrated with much fanfare.

“We may be townsfolk, but Karma is our tradition and we have been observing this festival here. It is also a good occasion for us to meet up with friends and relatives,” said Usha Tirkey from Jhirpani.

Karkata said that before the festival, they had organised a Karma Purb Sandhya on September 9 to prepare for it.

“The pre-event function was organised to create awareness among outsiders about this festival. Besides, it is an attempt to promote and preserve the culture by educating tribal youths and children, who are deviating from their roots,” said an organiser.