The English word for ‘Podh’ is buffalo. The Podhmara Jatra literally means the sacrifice of a buffalo. This festival is celebrated by the Kondhs during the month of Pus (December-January) or Chait (March-April). Agricultural activities are stopped for the duration of the festival.

During the festival a buffalo is sacrificed to the Kondh earth goddess Dharani (Dhartani). The Kondh males dress up with female ornaments and carry swords, bows and arrows. The ornaments are first worshipped near the village deity. The performers move from village to village dancing to the music of nisan, tasa, mahuri, jhanj, thidki and dhap.

Podhmara jatra follows from the tradition of the Meriah festival celebrated earlier. Following a similar ritual, the village priest called Khunta-Jani purchases a male buffalo as a ‘son’. The Yoga-jani takes care of the buffalo for a year. On an auspicious day during the Pus-Chait months, a pillar is erected where the podh (buffalo) is tied after being shaved. Till the day of sacrifice, dances and songs are performed every evening around this area.

On the day of the festival, the podh is taken to every village house on its way to the place of sacrifice. The ritual is usually carried in the worship area around the village diety Dharani also called Jaden Budhi. It is usually a stone believed to be Jaden Budhi.

The Kondhs from other villages are invited and they join the sacrificial procession. They sing invocations and hymns and dance with their weapons. The Jani also calls the two women known as Sheera who are possessed by the devi (goddess). They keep their hair open and dance with the music.

In the evening the podha puja begins with the priest narrating the story of Dharani called Gova –Uttara and other myths about the origin of the jaati. There are recitation of hymns and ritual songs by the priest. This lasts the entire night to invoke the blessings of the goddess.

During the ritual, the Khunta Jani strikes the buffalo’s neck with an axe. It is believed strongly that misfortune befalls the priest if he is unable to separate the buffalo’s neck in one blow. After the sacrifice, the head of the Podh is offered to the goddess while the rest is distributed among the villagers to cook the prasad.

Links– Dhap  Toki Parab  Changu Nata  Meriah