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Sama-Chakeva · puja vidhi

How to do the Sama-Chakeva puja at home

Nine nights of clay birds and songs for the brothers, from the Chhath parana to Sama's farewell on Kartik Purnima. About 45 minutes.

Every step is named here and the first 3 are given whole. The whole puja, every mantra with its meaning, is in the Kalava app.

Puja
CompleteEssential

All the figures shaped; every night the dalas carried out to the open ground, the circle, the songs, the dew and doob, and Chugla's moustache; and the farewell on Purnima.

Sama-Chakeva

The first day · the figures shaped

7:18 AM–5:15 PM · Columbus

After the Chhath parana: clay from the field shaped into Sama, Chakeva, Chugla and the rest, dried, painted and set in the dala.

  1. The first day

    Bring the clay

    1. After the Chhath parana, bring clean clay from a field — a freshly harvested paddy field, where there is one.
    2. Pick out the stones and straw.
    3. Knead it with a little water until it is smooth and holds its shape.

    A girl who cannot make the figures on this day makes them on Dev Uthani Ekadashi.

    Bring the clay

  2. The first day

    Shape Sama and Chakeva

    1. Shape Sama as a small bird, with a round body, a head and a tail.
    2. Shape Chakeva as a second bird beside her.
    3. Make one pair for each sister who will play.

    Sama and Chakeva are made as birds because the story turned them into birds; the season's birds come down from the hills at this time.

    Shape Sama and Chakeva

  3. The first day

    Shape Chugla

    1. Shape Chugla, the tale-bearer, as a small standing man.
    2. Press a few strands of jute fibre above his mouth for a moustache, and a few on his chin for a beard.
    3. Set him apart from Sama and Chakeva.

    The jute is what will be singed each night: Chugla's moustache burns for the lie he told.

    Shape Chugla
    1. Shape the others
    2. Dry and paint the figures

    These 2 steps, with their drawings and mantras, are in the app

Every night · the sama khel

5:10 PM–8:10 PM · Columbus

After dark: the dala with its diya carried out, the circle, the songs for the brothers, and Chugla's moustache singed.

    1. Light the diya in the dala
    2. Carry the dala out, singing
    3. Set the dalas together and sit in a circle
    4. The story of Sama and Chakeva
    5. Sing for your brothers
    6. Dew and doob for Sama and Chakeva
    7. Singe Chugla's moustache
    8. Vrindavan set alight, and put out
    9. Close with the samdaun, and carry the dala home

    These 9 steps, with their drawings and mantras, are in the app

Purnima night · Sama's farewell

5:10 PM–12:19 AM · Columbus

The samdaun, Sama sent off as a daughter leaves home, the figures set in water or a ploughed field, and chura shared between brother and sister.

    1. The whole house gathers
    2. Sing the samdaun
    3. Set the figures in water or a ploughed field
    4. Brother and sister share chura

    These 4 steps, with their drawings and mantras, are in the app

The samagri list