Khunti Festival of Kharia Tribe

Khunti Festival, an important festival of the Kharia Tribe, is celebrated to appease the lineage spirits. The festival is celebrated in the month of Pus-Mugh (December-January). The word Khunti signifies lineage. Khunti puja, also known as Khunti-Bati puja, is usually performed when a particular Kharia family is afflicted by the rage of a Khunti spirit. A family suffering from long sickness or some ailments such as pat-batha (stomach pain), Mur-batha (headache), Deh-batha (bodyache), summon a shoka Deonra (diviner) to see Delia. Upon visiting the Delia the diviner discloses about the fury of the Khunt spirit thus, stating about the performance of puja. Though, Khunti Festival is performed on lineage basis, the expenses are borne by the members of the affected families. A day is fixed when all the lineage members in the village assemble in Bari (kitchen garden) where this puja is performed by a Dehri i.e. an old man of that lineage.

On the day of the festival the appointed Dehri observes fast from morning. Prior to the celebration a small patch of land is smeared with cow dung. Arwa rice, seasonal flowers, Tapan golang, turmeric powder and four fowls are the essential elements required for the performance of the puja. Rangua (Red), and Mala (spotted) fowls are meant for khunt-pat, Kashri (Gray) for Mahadan and Karia (black) Darha. After the completion of the puja the head and the heart portion of the fowl are consumed by the Dehuri. The left over part is later consumed by the other Kharias present there. A member outside the lineage is strictly prohibited from consuming this meat. A person who breaks this taboo is believed to be afflicted with calamity and misfortune.

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