Sarhul is celebrated on Chaitra Shukla Paksha Tritiya, which is today. Yes, the great Festival of tribal people of Jharkhand which is called as Sarhul is today.
The procession of Sarhul has again been cancelled by the joint meeting of the Government and the tribal societies in view of the prolonged corona pandemic.
Since the traditions established by the ancestors is to be maintained at all cost, all the worship functions will be celebrated without any crowd through traditional ways. Let us pray to our Sing Bonga (the Sun God) and Dharmesh that the world may get rid of corona. Happiness may come back to faces of the people in the state. Let us all pray for the welfare of the entire state.
Sarhul connects us with nature. All of us are integral part of it. None of us can survive without it. The corona pandemic has made us understand the importance of nature in proper way. This festival is the festival of showing the gratitude to nature also. The nature has given us everything. Then our duty is to live with nature. The tribal society shows that it depends on laws of nature. It is here that we see equality and respect for all.
Festival of Flowers
Sarhul is celebrated in all those states where tribals live. Ho and Santals say it baha Parab. Munda call it Ba Porob. According to Munda, Ho, and Santals, Sarhul is the festival of flowers. Khdia society says it Sarhul Parab Junkor which means it is a festival of germination of seeds. Oraons say it Khaddi. Khaddi means infant. It means Sarhul is a festival of creation. Oraons arrange marriage of the earth and the sun on this day. It is understood that the process of creation and reproduction passes on after the confluence of the sun and the earth.
Forecast of Rain
One day before the Sarhul, the Pahan, the Pine, Bhora, Mahto, Kotwar etc of the tribal cluster go to ponds, rivers, or water filled fields and catch crabs and fish from there. They bring them to home and hang them up near the chulha of the house of their homes. After this Pahan fills a pitcher with water and places it at Sarana Sthal. On the basis of the level of water in the pitcher, Pahan forecasts on the Sarhul Pooja day about the rain whether it will be sufficient or less.
Sal is connected to life
All the connections of living beings are with nature. There remains a group of sal trees at the sarna sthal. Deep faith of tribals is connected with the sal trees. The long struggle of ancestors, traditions and the public faith form the basis of tribal life. This festival is the function of tradition and spiritual belief for today’s generation.
Sal trees stand erect in storms and calamities. This is the symbol of strength, struggle, self confidence etc.
Sal is in the role of symbiosis with tribals. Oraons call its fruit as Naur Khanjpa. They crush Sal fruits with the flowers of Mahua and make laddoos. They eat these laddoos and believe that these laddoos provide strength and immunity. Sal leaves are used for making cups and plates. Its gum is used in burning to make smoke and to please God. On Sarhul, tribal ladies adorn their hair with the flowers of Sal tree.
sarhul, the festival, links life to nature, tribal ladies, the earth and the sky
