By: ARUP MAJUMDER, SARNALI DUTTA
Karam Puja, celebrated primarily by tribal communities in eastern India, holds significant cultural and religious importance in West Bengal, particularly in districts such as Purulia, Bankura, Jhargram, and parts of Birbhum. Rooted in agrarian traditions, the festival centers on the worship of Karam Devta (the god of fate, productivity, and agriculture), symbolized by the Karam tree. Observed in the Bengali month of Bhadra (August–September), the ritual emphasizes fertility, prosperity, and ecological balance, while also strengthening community solidarity through collective singing, dancing, and oral storytelling. In West Bengal, Karam Puja extends beyond its ritual framework by incorporating elements of ecology, gender roles, social equality, and folk religiosity. This paper examines the socio-cultural, ecological, and performative aspects of Karam Puja in West Bengal, drawing on ethnographic studies, oral traditions, and recent scholarship. It contends that the festival remains a vibrant marker of indigenous identity, while also engaging with broader currents of Hindu religious practices and modernization.
