SANTAL FESTIVAL

Festivals:
Santhals celebrate loads of
festivals in different
occasion. Santhals follow
cycle of nature and
agricultural term to celebrate
festivals and celebrate
festivals accordingly. They
celebrate this festival to
invocations the Nature for
helping them in getting where
ever they have and
sometime to increase their
wealth and free them from all
the enemies. It is the
tradition among the Santhals
to grow the tree outside
their house after the
purification process for
different purposes.
The Santhals celebrate other
festival like, Sohorai, from
the end of Paush and for the
entire month of Magh.
“Karam” festival is
celebrated by the Santhals in
the month of Aswin
(September- October) in
order to have increased
`wealth and progeny` and to
get rid of the evil spirits.
During this festival, two
youths after being purified,
fetch two branches of Karam
tree from the forest and
plant them just outside the
house. Other festivals of the
Santhal community include
Maghe, Sakrat, Baba
Bonga, Sahrai, Ero,
Asaria and Namah. They
also celebrate haunting
festival called Disum
sendra on the eve of
Baishakhi Purnima.
Ero (Paddy sowing
festival)
The Santals, Mahali, Bhumija
and Lodha celebrate this
festival on the day of
‘Akshitrutiya’ to worship
mother earth with religions
flavor and enthusiasm. The
black cock is offered as
sacrifice with non-boiled rice,
flower, Vermillion and
incense sticks to propitiate
mother earth for bumper
harvest, prosperity peaceful
and disease free life. Dance
amidst traditional tribal
songs and beating of drums
rent the air, which makes the
festival quite enjoyable.
Jamtala Bonga (Jantal
Festival):
This festival is celebrated
when the ear of paddy hangs
downward exclusively in the
year when crop is destroyed
due to scanty rainfall. The fill
treated as God is offered
male goat as sacrifice with a
belief that propitiation of hill
God will bring about bumper
crops. The male goat so
killed is distributed among
the villagers.
Karam Parva:
This festival is celebrated in
the month of ‘Ashwina’ or
‘Kartika’ and the auspicious
day in fixed by the village
meeting. A ‘Karam Bough’ is
planted on the altar in the
middle of village. The village
maids offer molasses non-
boiled rice, flower and
vermillion then story of
‘Karamdharan’, the God of
fate is recited and it
continues amidst dance, song
and beating of drums till
morning and then immersion
of ‘Karam Bough’ is
solemnised with the
blessings of God of fate the
life becomes enriched with
health and this is their
sincere belief.
Makar Parva:
The prime festival of
Santhals is celebrated with
pomp and grandeur by
Adivasis month of ‘Pausha’
and English month ‘January’
when the paddy reaping is
half done and the mind is
free from all lures and
anxieties. Irrespective of
colour and crew and age all
partake in religious gaiety
and fervour.
This festival lasts for three
days and celebration
primarily starts night before
‘Makar Sankranti’. First day
is celebrated since morning
by the burning of log of
woods in the bank of river
or near water reservoir. It is
told as ‘Kumbha‘, done
mostly by the children and
teens. The process is done
in the early morning. Day of
Sakrat, everyone in the
family will take bath early
and wear new cloths. In
every household ‘Makar
Chaula’ and delicious cakes
are prepared. After that
head of the family offer food
and drinks to ancestors and
Ora bongs (house God) in
the inner most (Bhitar
orah) part of the house. In
other words we can say the
deities are worshipped. After
having food which includes
mutton curry, chicken, pork,
lamb, sheep, palatable cakes
and country liquor ‘Handia‘,
in every village or collection
of villages’, male will
participate in archery
competition and female come
to witness. First village
priest “Naike” will purify
the target and set the
distance for competitors.
Three chances will be
provided until someone hit
the target. If someone hit the
target, then he’ll be the
winner and awarded with
garland of flowers and
someone (assign by headman
of village) will take him in
shoulder till “Gosande”.
Manjhi/Naike will worship
and is followed with singing,
dancing and playing of
instrumental music. All those
present there, are given
rice-beer. Winner will be
accompanied by Santhali
traditional dance, song and
music. In that occasion men
and women dance in the
“Gosande” till late night
with boisterous music, songs
and drums. The traditional
dress of Santhal women is
called Pandhat, which is a
covering from the chest to
the foot.
Second and third day is for
the occasion of Makar a
special ‘Monkey Dance’
named as ‘Gari-aseen’ is
performed. The tribal folks
adorning their bodies in
many forms roam door to
door asking for paddy, rice
and cakes, which becomes
quite enjoyable. Also female
makes-up by men and dance
with tradition songs and
drums called “Budhi-Gari”.
Finally in a village meeting all
the collected items will be
disclosed. And villagers will
organized for feast or grand
village party on some free
day. Rice will be distributed
to different household to
brew rice whisky or rice beer
and collected on the day of
grand village party.
Relatives are also invited to
join.
By nature, the Santhals love
Dance, Music and wine. There
cannot be a festival without
these. Their fairs and
festivals are very colorful