Mother Karma Bai was born in the year 1017 in the town of Jhansi Nagar in Uttar Pradesh, at the home of Ram Shah Sahu. Mother Karma Bai was married to Padma Sahu. They were residents of Shivpuri in Madhya Pradesh and also engaged in the business of oil. They had a very large oil business. Karma's step-sister Dharma Bai was married into the Rathore family, who were residents of Nagaur in Rajasthan. It is believed that she used to feed Bhagavan Sri Krishna "Khichdi" (a dish made of rice and lentils) from her hands, and later on, their devotees called this event "Feeding Khichdi by Karma Bai".
It is said that due to the wealth of Karma Bai's husband, others used to feel jealous. Therefore, Raja Nal's son Dholan ordered that the kingdom's oil pond be filled within five days to trap Padma Sahu and shut down their oil business. After the given time, Padma Sahu failed to fill the pond with oil. He had to feel ashamed in front of the entire oilman community.
When Mata Karma Bai learned of this, she immersed her soul in devotion to Lord Shri Krishna to alleviate her husband's suffering. Through her devotion and the grace of Shri Krishna, the entire pond was filled with oil. This news spread immediately throughout the oilman community, and everyone was relieved of a great crisis. Since that day, Karma Bai has been known as "Mata Karma Bai." This oil pond is called "Dharma Talaiya," and it is a symbol Karma Bai's religious greatness and spirituality.
Due to King Dholan's bad behavior and treatment, Karma Bai told her husband that they could no longer tolerate the sufferings of this kingdom's king, and they should leave this place soon. It is said that the family of Maa Karma left for Jagannath Puri.
Mother Karma Bai used to wake up early every morning in Jagannath Puri,
without bathing, to cook khichdi to satiate the hunger of Lord Krishna and then
feed him. A saint observed Mother Karma Bai doing all this and told her that it
was wrong and she should not do it; it can lead to consequences.
From then on, Karma Bai started bathing first before cooking khichdi. This
resulted in a delay in cooking the khichdi, and by the time she fed Lord
Krishna the khichdi, the temple doors would open.
When the saint opened the doors and saw, he noticed that Lord Krishna's face
was covered with khichdi. Seeing this, the saint advised Karma Bai to cook and
feed khichdi just as she used to do before. Since that day, the offering of
Mother Karma Bai's khichdi is placed first in the temple of Lord Jagannath.
Numerous programs are observed on the day by the Sahu Samaj including mass marriages, processions, charity, free food and cloth distribution etc.