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Sama Chakeva: Prominent festival of brothers and sisters

Sama Chakeva or Sama Chakeba is a prominent festival in the northern Indian state of Bihar, also especially amongst the Maithili-speaking population. It is celebrated in November and commences when birds begin their migration from the Himalayas down towards the plains of India. According to the Hindustan Times, the festival, which includes folk theatre and song, celebrates love between brothers and sisters and is based on a legend recounted in the Puranas. It tells the story of Sama, a daughter of Krishna who had been falsely accused of wrongdoing. Her father punished her by turning her into a bird, but the love and sacrifice of her brother Chakeva eventually allowed her to regain human form.

It is during the winter season that the birds from the Himalayas migrate towards the plains. With the advent of these colorful birds, celebration of sama–chakeva is done. This is a festival especially celebrated in mithila. mithilanchal dedicates this festival to the celebration of the brother sister relationship. It represents the tradition of this land as well as the art of making idols. This festival starts with the welcoming of the pair of birds sama-chakeva. Girls make clay idols of various birds and decorate them in their own traditional ways. Various rituals are performed and the festival joyfully ended with the ‘vidai’ of sama and with a wish that these birds return to this land the next year.
 
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