Jharkhand’s biggest tribal festival ‘Sarhul’ celebrated with traditional fervour

    Ranchi, Apr 1 (PTI) Jharkhand’s biggest tribal festival, Sarhul, was celebrated with religious fervour on Tuesday, as a large number of people dressed in traditional attire thronged the streets and participated in processions across different parts of the state.
    Chief Minister Hemant Soren and his MLA wife, Kalpana Soren, took part in the Sarhul rituals at the Tribal College Hostel in Ranchi’s Karam Toli and Sarna Sthal, Siram Toli.
    "Festivals connect us to our traditions, civilisation, culture and faith. They infuse life with enthusiasm, excitement and joy. We have been celebrating the festival year after year in accordance with our tradition. Our ancestors have preserved and strengthened the traditions of this nature festival, keeping them intact. We must carry it forward," Soren said while addressing a gathering at the Tribal College Hostel.
    The CM planted a Sakhua tree on the hostel premises, conveying a message of staying connected with nature.
    He also danced to the beats of traditional musical instruments like the dhol and mandar.
    The Jharkhand government had announced a two-day state holiday from Tuesday on the occasion of Sarhul.
    "For the past several years, there has been a demand for a 2-day state holiday on the occasion of Sarhul. Considering the significance of this great and holy festival of the tribal community, I have declared a 2-day state holiday starting this year," Soren posted on X.
    At Siram Toli Sarna Sthal, a section of people from the tribal community registered their protest against the CM by sporting black bands on their heads against construction of a flyover close to a sacred ‘Sarna Sthal’.
    Several tribal outfits have been protesting against a ramp of the flyover being constructed in Siram Toli area and they are demanding its removal, claiming it obstructs access to the religious site and could disturb its sanctity due to traffic movement.
    They observed Ranchi bandh on March 22 and held protests on March 30 against the ramp.
    The administration lodged FIR against many protestors for the demonstration on March 30.
    However, Jharkhand DGP, on the directive of the state government, on Tuesday asked the Ranchi senior superintendent of police (SSP) not to take any further action in this case, as the protest was connected with the spirit of Sarhul festival, according to an official statement.
    Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar also extended his greetings on the occasion.
    "Heartiest greetings on the occasion of the nature festival 'Sarhul'! This festival of nature worship gives us the message of conservation and promotion of the environment. Come, let us all take a pledge to preserve and promote nature on this auspicious occasion," he wrote on X.
    Former chief minister and BJP leader Champai Soren performed the rituals at Sarna Toli in Ranchi's Hatma.
    The three-day festival begins on the third day of the month of Chaitra.
    People of various tribes such as Oraon, Munda and Ho pay obeisance to the Sal tree and thank Mother Nature for providing shelter, livelihood and food.

    Sarhul, also called the spring festival, started with rituals in the morning, followed by a forecast of rain during the upcoming rainy season by 'pahans' (priests) based on traditional practices.
    According to tradition, two earthen pitchers filled with water are placed under a Sal tree and kept overnight at the Sarna Sthal.

    After reviewing traditional methods of prediction, priest Jaglal Pahan announced that Jharkhand might receive rainfall partially below normal this year.
    Thereafter, processions were taken out from different places that passed through Ranchi's Albert Ekka Chowk and culminated at Siram Toli Sarna Sthal.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)