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Kedu is the most important festival of the 'Kondhs' of
Phulbani, where they are largely concentrated.
They are also found in certain areas of the districts of Ganjam and
Koraput. The festival is held in different villages in different years.
The place and date of the festival are decided years ahead.
This festival was well known for the human sacrifice 'Meria' which was
totally stopped during the British rule in India. However to guard the
religious sentiments of the tribals this has been substituted now by
buffalo-sacrifice.
Main Ritual
This festival continues for five days and different rituals are
prescribed for each day. The sacrifices are made on the third and the
fourth days in a most cruel manner. The animal is tethered in the place of
worship.
Men and women get drunk, dance in frantic mood and then kill the animal
by cutting its limbs piece by piece. Then they carry the blood and a piece
of meat and bury it in the field where they produce turmeric. They believe
that this would yield them a good crop of turmeric as red as the blood of
the animal. Through this festival they propitiate the Mother Earth.
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