INDIAN TRIBAL CULTURE - Festivals



INDIAN TRIBAL CULTURE – FESTIVALS

Festivals and celebrations are characteristic to all parts of the world. A variety of festivals are celebrated across India, owing to the various religions, cultures and traditions unique to each tiny sector of India. Complimenting the numerous festivals in India, there are a great many tribal festivals celebrated by the tribes of India.




The Kailpoldu festival is one such tribal festival celebrated by the warrior tribes, Kodavas in Coorg, Karnataka. This festival is held to worship the weapons possessed by the people and is usually held between the 2nd and 4th of September. The festival serves as a clarion call for the Kodavas to bring out their weapons and to prepare for guarding their crop from wild boars and other animals. On the Kailpoldu day, the weapons are taken out, cleaned and decorated with flowers and the villagers gather in the meadows where shooting competitions are held.

Sarhul is the main festival of the tribal population of Jharkhand. The verbal meaning of Sarhul is worship of the Sal tree, also known as worship of nature in which local people worship Sita, the wife of Lord Rama as 'Dhartimata' or Mother Earth. They Sal tree is believed to be the abode of Goddess Sarna who protects the village from all kinds of natural calamities and disasters. This festival is celebrated every year during the spring season where, men, women and children wear colourful clothes and perform traditional dances. 


Karama is a tribal festival of Odisha, in which the God ‘Karam’ or Goddess ‘Karamsani’ is celebrated as the presiding deity. The festival is celebrated between August and September. In this ritual, people reach the jungle and cut a few branches of the Karam tree, which represent the deity and are carried by unmarried girls to the village. They then plant them on the ground with decorated flowers. 

The Moatsu Mong festival is a harvesting festival celebrated by the Naga people of Nagaland’s existing tribal community. The festival is celebrated once every year, in the month of August, after the fields are cleared, the weeds discarded and the seeds are sown. The tribal people gather in a place to dance and drink. The best reared animal is slaughtered and the festival ends with some healthy competitions.

Sammakka Saralamma Jatara is celebrated by the tribes of Andhra Pradesh, once every two years, in the month of February. The four day celebration is held in the Medaram town in the district of Warangal. The Goddesses Sammakka and Saralamma are worshipped by the people, with dedication and sincerity, seeking protection and welfare.


The Baneshwar festival is celebrated in the months of January and February by the Bhil tribes of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. Ritualistic singing of praises of the Gods and gravity defying acts are interesting features of this colourful celebration.

Apart from these few festivals are a number of other celebrations such as the Folk dance festival of Daman and Diu, the Mariamman Thiruvizha of the Andaman and Nicobar islands, etc. These various festivals, although unknown to many, are a significant part of Indian culture and tradition.

BY- FAAIQA AISHA
1st BSC PSYCHOLOGY

Comments

  1. BlogFebruary 11, 2019 at 8:16 PM

    I came to know about the lot of festivals celebrated by various tribes of India. The pictures of this blog gives the beautiful depiction of it.
    Varshaa.R

    ReplyDelete
  2. imaginatively creativeFebruary 11, 2019 at 9:37 PM

    I never knew these many festivals were celebrated among indian tribes.The blog was an eye-opener to me.
    G.Abirami

    ReplyDelete
  3. UnknownFebruary 12, 2019 at 5:53 AM

    Hamsika
    The festivals of tribes are displayed to be distinctive. This blog displays the quirky traditions of tribes.

    ReplyDelete
  4. imaginatively creativeFebruary 12, 2019 at 6:50 AM

    Did not know more than a one or two festivals . Thank you.- Archita. T. Menon

    ReplyDelete
  5. imaginatively creativeFebruary 12, 2019 at 7:34 AM

    Everything about tribal societies is so unique. I am coming across information about their festivities for the first time.
    Faadila Aisha

    ReplyDelete

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