Sama Chakewa songs begin resonating in Tarai districts

By Sudha Dev

Saptari, Oct. 30: The songs of Sama Chakewa have begun to resonate in Saptari and other districts of the eastern Tarai.

Associated with the story of love between brothers and sisters, Sama Chakewa songs are now being heard in every household across the Madhes region every evening.

In Tarai-Madhes, Sama Chakewa has traditionally been celebrated as a symbol of love. The festival began on Sunday, the day of Kharna, which falls on the auspicious occasion of Kartik Shukla Panchami.

During this festival, sisters make clay figures of various shapes and pray for the long life of their brothers. Women of the community come together and play for 10 days, completing the festival on Kartik Shukla Purnima by ritually immersing the Sama Chakewa figures in ponds or rivers.

To play the game, figures of Sama Chakewa, Chugla, Satbhaiya, Bhamara, Brindaban, Dhol Pipihi, and Pauti are crafted from clay, beautifully painted, and decorated.

 In this festival, groups of women gather to sing songs and bless their brothers, said Aarti Jha of Rajbiraj Municipality Ward No. 7.

She said that by giving human-like names to the clay figures, women play for 10 days, praying for the longevity, good health, and progress of their brothers.

According to Srijana Chaudhary of Rajbiraj Ward No. 1, women from the Madhesi and Tharu communities give special importance to this festival. In the Tharu community, married daughters are invited to their maternal homes with respect, and together with all the women of the village, they organise and celebrate the Sama Chakewa festival in groups.

She added that it is believed that playing Sama Chakewa strengthens the bond between brothers and sisters, brings prosperity and progress to their lives, and ensures the brothers’ long life.

On Kartik Shukla Purnima, women play Sama Chakewa with relatives and neighbours, sing Maithili songs to bless their brothers, and then, as if bidding farewell to their daughters with gifts, immerse the clay figures in ponds and rivers, marking the end of the Sama Chakewa festival.