Kedu Festival Odisha

Renowned as the most important festivals of the tribal districts of Ganjam, Phulbani, and Koraput, Kedu is a five-day celebration. The festival is celebrated by the Kondhs to please and commemorate the Mother Earth. On the third day of this famous Odishan festival, buffalo is sacrificed to propitiate the deity. However, in the ancient days, instead of buffalo, human sacrifice was made which got banned during British rule in India. Coming on the Kedu celebration, the men and women celebrate it by getting drunk, dancing, and slaughtering the animal in the cruellest way (which happens on the third and fourth day of the festival). The locals bury the meat piece of the animal along with the blood at the place where they yield turmeric. According to them, this gesture would give them a healthy crop. This whole festival runs for five long days and on each day different rituals and customs are performed.

Celebration Date/Month

The timing of the festival changes every year.

Highlights of the Festival

• The famous Kedu dance is performed by the locals to celebrate the festival.
• Songs in the Kui language are also sung by the locals to pay homage to the Mother Earth.
• In the ancient days, the key highlight of this festival was the human sacrifice which got substituted during British rule with Buffalo sacrifice.
• Rituals are performed to please the deity with the belief to yield a good crop of turmeric.