Grant aid sought for preservation of Jokumara tradition

Communities traditionally associated with the Jokumara festival in north Karnataka have urged the State government to extend welfare support and recognise their cultural practices.

Women carrying idols of the folk deity Jokumara in wooden baskets staged a protest outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Kalaburagi on Wednesday.

T.D. Raj, founder-secretary of the Budakattu Samudayagala Samskritika Sahitya Parishat, said communities such as Koli, Kabbaliga, Besta, Tokari Koli, Valikara, Talawara, Jamadar, Naikodi and Natikara had been observing the Jokumara festival for generations, particularly after Ganesh Chaturthi.

As part of the tradition, women carry clay idols of Jokumara, a popular folk deity, in wooden baskets, visit households singing folk songs and receive grains as offerings. Dr. Raj said the practice was confined to these communities and formed an important part of their cultural heritage.