Sama-Chakeva is a folk festival of Mithila, celebrated from Kartik Shukla Panchami to Purnima. It is based on the story of Sama, the daughter of Lord Krishna, who was falsely accused and cursed to become a bird. Her husband, Chakeva, upon learning the truth, chose to take the form of a bird as well. Through the devotion of Sama’s brother Samb, both were restored to human form. This song belongs to that festival. The sister praises her brother and says, “O Bhaiya, you are the most respected person in this village. Please have a pond dug ten hands deep for my game, and have champa flowers planted along its banks.” In the Sama-Chakeva game, clay figures of birds are made and immersed in a pond at the end of the festival. She asks her brother to gather flowers and her sister-in-law to weave them into a beautiful garland, which she will wear while playing Sama-Chakeva. The sister then asks, “How shall we catch the partridge, and how shall we catch the royal swan?” She answers her own question: the partridge will be caught in a net, and the royal swan with a bakuli- a hooked stick. This imagery of birds belongs to the world of clay figures and playful ritual created during Sama-Chakeva.