The‘Karama Festival’ is widely celebrated amongst the tribal people of Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj, Sambalpur, Bolangir, Dhenkanal and Keonjhar along with the aboriginal people of Bihar and Madaya Pradesh. As a tribal festival, Karma is celebrated with great devotion are Ho, Kisan, Kolha, Bhumij, Oram, Bhuiyan and Binjhals.
This tribal festival of Odisha is observed as a mark of respect to the “Karama tree”. The presiding deity of this festival is either 'Karama', a God or 'Karamasani', a Goddess who is represented with a branch of Karama tree. The celebration takes place in the bright half of the month of 'Bhadrab' during the rainy season. As a ritual, people go to the jungle accompanied by groups of drummers and cut one or more branches of Karama tree. These branches are mostly carried by unmarried young girls who sing in praise of the deity. The branches are brought to the village and planted in the centre of a ground, which is plastered with cow-dung and decorated with flowers. After performing all rituals, the tribal priest known as Jhankar or Dehuri offers germinated grams and liquor in propitiation to the deity who grants wealth and children. A fowl is also sacrificed and the blood is offered to the branch. Then, he narrates a legend to the villagers about the efficacy of Karama festival.
The Karama festival is observed in two ways. The Karma Festival is commonly held by the villagers on the village street and the expenses on liquor etc. are commonly borne.