Santhal Tribe

In News

The Santhal community is in the spotlight after the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) nominated one of the community leaders Droupadi Murmu to the highest constitutional position in the country.

About 

• Santhal is the third largest scheduled tribe community in the country after Gond and Bhil.
• The word ‘Santhal’ is derived from two words; ‘santha’ meaning calm and peaceful and ‘ala’ meaning man.
• Background:
  • In the past, the Santhals were leading a nomadic life. 
  • Gradually they came to settle down in the Chota Nagpur plateau. 
  • Towards the end of the 18th century, they migrated to the Santhal Parganas of Bihar and then they came to Odisha.
• Location (Major): Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal.
• Major Occupation: Cultivation, Industrial Labour, Mining, Quarrying
• Religion: 
  • Autonomous Tribal Religion
  • They are nature worshipers and pay their obeisance at Jaher (sacred groves) irrespective of the positions they hold.
• Language: 
  • Santhals speak Santhali which has its own script called ‘OL chiki’ invented by Pandit Raghunath Murmu. 
  • Santhali in OL-Chiki script has been included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution.
• Society:
  • The common types of marriages permitted in their society are by negotiation, by elopement, by intrusion and by service. 
  • Junior livirate, sororate and remarriage of widows, widowers and divorcees are also permitted in their society. 
• Architecture:
  • Santhal houses called ‘Olah’ are distinct and can be identified from a distance. 
  • They are large, neat and attractive with multi-coloured paintings on the outside walls. 
  • The bottom of the wall is painted with black soil, the middle portion with white and the upper portion with red.
• Artforms: Of late, the Santhal’s Phuta Katcha pattern saree and dress, sold through e-commerce sites, are widely accepted in the community.
• Major Festivals & Rituals:
  • Erok-sim : For sowing seeds
  • Hariham-sim : At the time of Sprouting seedling
  • Iri-guldi-sim : Offering small millets to deity
  • Jantal : First eating of rice
  • Saharai : Cattle worship
  • Magha-sim : Dancing and merrymaking
  • Baha : Ritual for first fruit of Mahua and ceremonial hunting

Source: TH