Karam Puja celebrated in Thakurgaon
Karam Puja, a major festival of the Orao community, inhabitants of the northern districts of Bangladesh, was celebrated last Wednesday and Thursday in Thakurgaon district.
To celebrate the festival Thakurgaon Karam Utshab Udjapan Committee organized different programs including discussions, cultural functions and offering puja.
On the night of Wednesday, 17th September, Deputy Commissioner of Thakurgaon, Mukesh Chandra Biswas attended the festival as chief guest at Pachpirdanga Adibashi village in Thakurgaon Sadar upazila.
Programme Manager of Heks Bangladesh, Syed Taposh and Chairman of Salondar Union Parishad Fazle Elahi Chowdhury attended as special guest while convener of Thakurgaon Karam Utshab Udjapan Committee Biswanath Kerketa in the chair.
Also attending the festival are advisor of district unit Jatiya Adibashi Parishad Advocate Imran Hossain Chowdhury, Md. Samsujjoha, Assistant Programme Coordinator of Eco Social Development.
The speakers at the discussion said that the indigenous people are victims of discrimination in different fields as the government did not pay proper attention to their causes and they are always lagging behind as they are being deprived of their rights in all sectors. They also called to establish a separate ministry for indigenous people to deal with their problems.
The speakers also demanded mother tongue-based primary education for their children and the community's quota in higher education and government service.
They said indigenous people played a significant role during the liberation war in 1971 but they have yet to gain constitutional rights.
DC Mukesh Chandra Biswas said in his speech that the government has taken various steps to protect ethnic community's rights. He assured them to give all out support of any backward situation of their living.
According to researchers, the Karam festival is a way of the indigenous people expressing their affinity with nature. They also pray for happy conjugal lives during festival.
The festival ended the next day through immersion (Bisharjon dewa) branches of the Karam tree to the Tangon River.
Surjo Mormu, President of district unit of Jatiya Adibashi Parishad (an organisation of the indigenous communities) said that the festival is celebrated in Pachpirdanga, Jagannathpur, Gobindanagarh and Chandipur villages in Sadar upazila, Boirchuna, Jhongaon villages of Pirganj upazilathe district.
Chaina Ram Tirki, leader of Orao community of Jagannathpur village under Sadar upazila of the district said that Karam puja is one of the major festivals celebrated by the 37 indigenous families of the village. “Though our unique culture is likely heading towards extinction, we want to preserve the traditions and heritage for generations to come,” he said.
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