Baha

Tribal Culture

The Santal people have long been associated with the culture and tradition of Birbhum being neighbouring to the Santal Pargana. Originally from the Austro-Asiatic branch of the Proto Australoid group, these people have various designations such as Hansda, Kisku, Murmu, Soren, etc. It is believed that such titles come from different Totemism or various folk stories of these ethnic groups.

Birbhum has got a good number of Santhal people and in almost all blocks of the district they are surviving with their own cultures for a long time.

Sohrai

Baha

In any of Santal village in the district one will find small settlements with thick green surroundings. In front of the clean-dung-covered courtyard, mud houses are decorated with various designs and art of their own and unique indigenous style.

One can come and enjoy the quiet life at any time of the year. But if somebody wants to witness the Santali festivals and different rituals and customs then following festivals are best to serve that purpose –

Two places of worship can be found in Santali village. Jaher Than is traditionally placed outside of the village and Majhi Than is inside the village. A stone block is symbolised as ‘Marangburu’ at this Majhi Than. Everyone gathers at this Majhi Than for the well-being of their family or in any incident of natural calamity. During any grand occasion or festival, they meet at Jaher Than.

Dansai Festival: this festival is celebrated from Durga Sasthi to Dasami Tithi in tribal villages.On Sasthi, girls gather and take preparation for puja collecting the ingredients like turmeric, vermilion, roots of particular trees, leaves of wood apple or ‘Bilwapatra’ etc. It is believed that Goddess Durga saved the tribal society by killing the demon and this festival is celebrated on commemorating that incident. On Dashami (sometimes also on Ekadashi) dance and songs are performed in local areas.

Sohrai festival: The festival starts from 25th day of Bengali month Paush and ends on Paush Sankranti or the last day of the month. In Birbhum this festival is known as ‘Badna’. The festival starts with offering at Jaher Than on the first day. ‘Hanria’ or country liquor and khichuri are offered to the God on the day two. On the third day khunto, leg and horns of cows are painted. Arrangement of food like Pithepuli are made on the fourth day and hunting is undertaken on the day five.This Sohrai or Sahrai is the most popular festival of this district.

Baha Festival: After fasting on Falguni Purnima, girls go to Jaher Than to offer puja. It is called Baha Parav because this festival takes place in the midst of colourful flowers of spring.

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The main theme of all these festivals of Santhal is dance and songs. This rhythm of dance and music is inherited by the young Santal women. They dress up in their own style of clothes while performing.

Social Festivals: Santali have their own culture associated with any social festival. To pay respect to the female power, the bridegroom and their family wait outside the village for getting permission from the bride. After putting vermilion to the bride, the bridegroom has to give dowry to the family of the bride for taking her along with him. The joy of ‘dong’ dance with madal and dhamsa during marriage spreads from one village to another.

Apart from this, belief in miracles is noticed among them.

Where to find it: As mentioned earlier, almost every block of Birbhum has traces of tribal culture. However, you can witness this festival in the tribal villages of Md. Bazar, Saithia, Lavpur, Ilambazar, Nalhati etc. block.

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Other Indigenous Cultures: The Konra community can be found in the area of Tilpara, Suri, Bhabanipur in Rajnagar etc. In the Bengali month of Baisakh, they worship the Godess in the form of Maa Kali with the beat of kansar, bells and dhaka in the occasion of Akhin Puja.

The Oraon community can be traced in Muhammad Bazar block. In the month of May puja of Panchatattva is undertaken during Sarul Parva. In September they join Karam Parab too.