Karam puja observed in Dibrugarh tea estates with much pomp & gaiety

Dibrugarh, Sept 4: Karam festival, the cultural pride and indigenous identity of the Adivasi and tea garden working communities, was celebrated here today.

Clad in their traditional attires, the youth, both boys and girls, played a central role in the Karam festivities, engaging wholeheartedly in both the sacred rituals and the joyful celebrations organized in the nearby tea estates.

In Mancotta, Sessa, Mahabir, Thanai, Mohanbari, Greenwood and Borboroooah tea estates, where the sacred festival got underway today, hundreds gathered, reaffirming their deep connection to cultural heritage, honouring a tradition passed down. through generations. The festival was organized by the tea garden unit of the Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha (ACMS).

In Thanai, Mohanbari and Greenwood tea estates, the organizers ceremoniously brought Karam branches and had them planted in the centre of their celebration area. The ceremony involved vibrant singing and dancing with their traditional drums besides invocation to the Mother Nature. Former Union Minister and ACMS president Paban Singh Ghatowar was witness the jhumur competitions at Borborooah Tea Estate puja ground.

The competition was organized in alignment with the Karam festival by ACMS, Dibrugarh branch in collabo-ration with the Women Cell and the workers of Borborooah Tea Estate.

According to Jiten Karmakar, assistant secretary of the ACMS, Dibrugarh branch, festivals like Karam are powerful moments of cultural assertion and visibility, offering both spiritual grounding and a vibrant platform for cultural expression.

"The Government of Assam recently declared Karam an official public holiday, including a paid holiday for workers in tea plantations and factories. This long-awaited recognition is the outcome of sustained efforts by ACMS and other community-based organizations that have consistently advocated greater recognition of our identity and heritage.

This official holiday has enabled wider participation, allowing people to observe the sacred festival freely without the fear of wage loss or losing a work-day, he said.

The word Karam is derived from the Karama tree (Nauclea parvifolia), a sacred species in tribal belief systems. According to Adivasi folklore, the Karama tree represents fertility, prosperity, and the enduring spirit of nature. It is widely believed that the Karama tree ensures a good harvest, shields the village from natural calamities, and promotes the overall well-being of the community.

Among the many traditional stories associated with Karam, one of the most widely shared describes seven brothers who, seduced by worldly pleasures, neglected their duties to the land and their family. Their indifference led to poor harvests and misfortune at home. Realizing their errors, they returned to the forest, performed rituals under the Karam tree, and sought forgiveness from Mother Nature.

Their prayers were answered, and harmony was restored. This tale beautifully encapsulates the core values of Karam-reverence for nature, personal responsibility and deep gratitude.