Santals
Santali people
Total population
6,850,000–6,950,000
Regions with significant populations
 India,  Bangladesh
Jharkhand2,752,723[1]
West Bengal2,512,331[1]
Odisha894,764[1]
Assam800,000-900,000
Bihar406,076[1]
 Bangladesh300,061 (2001)[2]
   Nepal42,698[3]
Languages
Santali
Religion
Sari Dharam  • Sarnaism  • Hinduism  • Christianity
Related ethnic groups
Mundas  • Hos  • Kols  • other Mon-Khmer people
Dhodro banam musical instruments

The Santal (Hindi: सांथाल, Bengali: সাঁওতাল, romanized: shãotāl, Nepali: सतार/सन्थाल, romanized: satār/santhāl ) are an Adivasi people indigenous to Terai of Nepal and India, who live mainly in Nepal and the Indian States of Jharkhand, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Assam (part of the Tea Tribes). There is also a significant Santhal minority in neighboring Bangladesh, and a small population in Nepal. They are one of the largest tribal communities in India. The Santal mostly speak Santali.

Santali language

The Reverend J. Phillips published 'An Introduction to the Santal Language' in 1852, printed at the Calcutta School – Book Society's Press.

Lars Olsen Skrefsrud, a Norwegian missionary and a language researcher, published 'A Grammar of Santhali Language' in 1873.

Paul Olaf Bodding (born Gjøvik, Norway on 2 November 1865, died Odense, Denmark on 25 September 1938) was a Norwegian missionary, linguist and folklorist. He served in India for 44 years (1889–1933), and operated mainly from the town Dumka in the Santhal Parganas-district. Bodding created the first alphabet and wrote the first grammar for the Santhali-speaking native people in eastern India. In 1914 he also completed the translation of the Bible into the Santhali language.

In about 1925 Raghunath Murmu created Ol Chiki script for the Santali language.

Religions

One of the most studied tribal religions in India, the Santal religion (Sari Dharam) worships Marang buru (God), or Bonga (God) , as the Supreme Deity. The weight of belief, however, falls on a court of spirits (Bonga), who handle different aspects of the world and who are placated with prayers and offerings in order to ward off evil influences. These spirits operate at the village, household, ancestor, and sub-clan level, along with evil spirits that cause disease and can inhabit village boundaries, mountains, water, tigers, and the forest. A characteristic feature of the Santhal village is a sacred grove (known as the Jaher[4] or "Santal Sthal") on the edge of the settlement where many spirits live and where a series of annual festivals take place.[5]

A yearly round of rituals connected with the agricultural cycle, along with life-cycle rituals for birth, marriage and burial at death, involve petitions to the spirits and offerings that include the sacrifice of animals, usually birds. Religious leaders are male specialists in medical cures who practice divination and witchcraft (the socio-historic meaning of the term, used here, refers to the ritual practice of magic and is not pejorative). Similar beliefs are common among other tribes of northeast and central India such as the Kharia, Munda, and Oraon.[5]

Smaller and more isolated tribes often demonstrate articulated classification systems of the spiritual hierarchy less well documented, described as animism or a generalized worship of spiritual energies connected with locations, activities, and social groups. Religious concepts are intricately entwined with ideas about nature and interaction with local ecological systems. As in Santal religion, religious specialists are drawn from the village or family and serve a wide range of spiritual functions that focus on placating potentially dangerous spirits and coordinating rituals.[5]

Santali culture

Sohrai is the principal festival of Santal community. Besides that Baha, Karam, Dansai, etc. are important. Chadar Badar, a form of puppetry known also as Santal puppetry, is a folk show involving wooden puppets placed in a small cage which acts as the stage. The Santal traditionally accompany many of their dances with two drums: the Tamak‘ and the Tumdak’.[6]

Traditions of Santals

Sohrai is the biggest festival among Santals.

Notable people

References

  1. ^ a b c d "A-11 Individual Scheduled Tribe Primary Census Abstract Data and its Appendix". www.censusindia.gov.in. Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner,India. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  2. ^ Cavallaro, Francesco; Rahman, Tania. "The Santals of Bangladesh" (PDF). ntu.edu.sg. Nayang Technical University. Retrieved 17 November 2017. ((cite web)): Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  3. ^ "Santali: Also spoken in Nepal". Retrieved 1 April 2011.
  4. ^ "Jaher Worshiping Place of Santhals". Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  5. ^ a b c "The Green Revolution in India". U.S. Library of Congress Country Studies (released in public domain). Retrieved 6 October 2007.
  6. ^ "Chadar Badar". Telegraph. 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  7. ^ www.indiansuperleague.com. "Arjun Tudu - Forward, Delhi Dynamos FC | ISL Player Profile". www.indiansuperleague.com. Retrieved 31 January 2017.

Bibliography

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Santal.
Wikisource has the text of the 1905 New International Encyclopedia article "Santals".
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