Karma Naach (Jharkhand)

Understand

Where Karma Naach (Jharkhand) comes from

Karma Naach is the traditional dance of the autumnal Karma festival of central and eastern India — most strongly practised in Jharkhand, particularly by the Adivasi communities of the Chota Nagpur plateau. The festival begins on the 11th day of the bright fortnight of the month of Bhadrab (August-September) and is observed by the Munda, Oraon, Ho and Santal communities. The dance is central to the worship of Karam Devta (the god of fate) and is documented as one of the most widespread harvest-festival traditions of the Indian Adivasi belt. The dance's distinctive customs — particularly the central tree branch and the participation of all the villagers — have been preserved as part of the Adivasi identity of the region.

How it's practiced

Karma Naach is performed in a circle around a sacred Karma tree branch (typically the sal tree, the sal being sacred to the Karam Devta) which is brought from the forest and installed ceremonially in the village square. The dancers hold each other around the waist and step in coordinated rhythms to the heavy sounds of the timki drum — the principal instrument — accompanied by the thumki, chhalla, payri and jhumki small percussion. The men's steps are more vigorous and forward-moving while the women bend low to the ground, the two motions forming the dance's signature pattern. The Karma branch is finally washed with rice and milk at the closing ceremony. Costume is the everyday Adivasi dress — the dhoti-kurta for the men and the colourful sari with traditional silver jewellery for the women — with the ceremony running through the night and ending at the dawn of the next day.