Karma Puja (Jharkhand) 2027

Puja Vidhi

Who Should Do This Vrat?

• Unmarried Girls and Women: Young women and sisters observe this fast for the health, long life, and prosperity of their brothers (Bhai ki Raksha).
• Farming Families and Communities: Families of Jharkhand pray to Karam Raja for a good harvest, rain, and the wellbeing of the whole household.

When Should This Be Performed?

• Fast: Kept through the day, from the morning until the puja is done, with many women taking no food until then.
• Karam Branch Preparation: The Karam branch is brought from the forest and planted in the courtyard in the afternoon, by the community.
• Main Puja Muhurat: The Karam Puja is done in the evening, in Pradosh Kaal (the period after sunset). Check the puja muhurat for your city on this page.
• Night Celebrations: Songs and dances (Jhumar) continue through the night, and the branch is immersed in a river or pond the next morning (families differ in the exact timing).

About the Festival

Karma Puja, also called Karam Parv, is a much-loved festival of Jharkhand and the surrounding tribal communities, in which the Karam tree is worshipped for the wellbeing of brothers and for a good harvest. It takes place on the Ekadashi (eleventh day) of the Shukla Paksha in the month of Bhadrapada.

The Vrat Katha (The Story Behind Karma Puja)

Karma Puja, also called Karam Parv, is an old harvest festival of the tribal and farming communities of Jharkhand and nearby regions, among them the Oraon, Munda, Santhal and Ho. It honours the Karam tree, which is worshipped as Karam Raja or Karam Devta, the giver of good harvests, rain and the wellbeing of the family.

In the days before the festival, young girls sow barley, wheat, gram and other seeds in a bamboo basket and tend the sprouts (Jawa) with care. On the day, a branch of the Karam tree is cut with reverence by the young men, brought home in a joyful procession and planted in the courtyard, where the whole village gathers around it.

The elders of the community, often the village priest (Pahan), recite the story of the Karam brothers, a folk legend told in many versions. It teaches that a family prospers when it honours the Karam tree, and that misfortune follows when the sacred branch is disrespected, until the family repents and worships Karam Raja again.

Sisters keep a fast, offer the Jawa and cucumber to the Karam branch, and pray for the long life and happiness of their brothers. Since that day, the people have gathered every year to sing and dance through the night, thanking nature and seeking the blessings of Karam Raja.

Samagri List (Items Needed)

Gather these items before starting the evening puja:

• Karam Branch: A fresh branch of the Karam tree, planted in the courtyard on a cleaned and plastered spot
• Jawa (Sacred Sprouts): Sprouted barley, wheat, and gram seedlings (Jawa) grown in a bamboo basket for the days before
• Tilak & Sacred Powder: Sindoor, Roli, and Akshat (unbroken rice grains)
• Lamps & Lights: A clay Diya with oil or Ghee, and incense sticks (Dhoop)
• Food Offerings (Naivedya): Cucumbers (Kheera), fruits, rice-flour preparations, and sweets as prasad
• Devotional Accessories: Flowers, raw cotton thread (kalava), and a vessel of fresh water

Puja Vidhi (Step-by-Step Guide)

Follow these step-by-step instructions carefully to perform the ritual correctly:

Step 1: Morning Preparation and Sankalp

1. Wake up early during Brahma Muhurta (the pre-dawn hours), bathe, and wear clean clothes.
2. Take a small amount of water in your right palm and take a Sankalp (solemn vow): "O Karam Raja, today I observe this fast for the long life and wellbeing of my brothers and my family. Grant me the strength to fulfil this vow with pure devotion."
3. Observe the fast through the day, usually until the puja is complete in the evening.

Step 2: Preparing the Karam Branch (Afternoon)

1. Clean and plaster the courtyard with cow dung and mud (or clean it well, where this is not possible).
2. Plant the Karam branch in the centre of the cleaned space and draw a simple design around it.
3. Place the basket of Jawa near the branch, along with a vessel of water.

Step 3: Performing the Evening Rituals

1. Lighting the Lamp: Light a Diya and incense in front of the Karam branch.
2. Applying Tilak: Apply Sindoor and Akshat to the branch and the Jawa.
3. Offering Flowers & Threads: Offer flowers and tie a piece of raw cotton thread around the Karam branch.
4. Offering Naivedya: Place cucumbers, fruits, and sweet preparations at the base of the branch.

Step 4: Reciting the Vrat Katha

1. Hold a few grains of rice and a few flower petals in your right hand.
2. Sit respectfully around the Karam branch and recite or listen to the Karma Puja Katha with deep focus and devotion.
3. After completing the story, sprinkle the grains at the base of the branch.

Step 5: Karam Songs and Dance Around the Branch

1. Keep the lit Diya near the branch and offer a short prayer to Karam Raja with the community.
2. Join in singing Karam songs and dancing the Jhumar around the branch, praying for the happiness of your brothers.
3. Offer a final bow to the Karam Raja, seeking his blessings for the harvest.

Step 6: Seeking Blessings and Breaking the Fast

1. Touch the feet of the elders in your family to seek their blessings (Charan Sparsh).
2. Distribute the prasad and the Jawa among family members and friends.
3. Break your fast with the prasad and a simple sattvic meal. The Karam branch is immersed in a river or pond with respect the next morning.