Purulia has been a drought-prone district of West Bengal, India, with a semi-arid landscape. It has a rich cultural heritage, with a fusion of Bengali tradition and a touch of the tribal essence in it. People here celebrate a variety of local festivals with lots of social values, splash of colors and distinctive local folk culture such as Jhumur, Bhadu, Tusu and Chhau.
Santhal is India’s third largest tribe and most of them live in the rural areas of Purulia. They worship nature, forests, spirits and animals. Dancing and Singing are important parts of the festivities. Besides Baha, Karam and Dansai, another big festival of Santhal people is SOHRAI. It is celebrated during October-November when the single annual paddy crops are harvested. A plenty of stories, rituals and events are linked to Sohrai which reflects Integration, Gratitude, Freedom, Equality and Joy altogether.
Here’s an attempt to take you through the vibrant mix of activities:
Read more from the author: पुरुलिया, पश्चिम बंगाल में सोहराय त्यौहार
This is a 1st in our blog! So well done. I cant tell you how good it is to see so much effort going into a piece of work. I understand how your journey of the fellowship so far has been. often, we seek for mentors and guidance in people who may not even be suitable for it Saurav. The things a field life (which you unlike a lot of other fellows who often times get caught up in management and execution) had the chance to experience. Trust me, this will go a long way in shaping who you will be at 30 :-). I will look forward to following things in your future blogs:-
– A more technical piece on the Santhal tribes
– The work you did on menstrual hygiene management
– A reflective piece on how you have changed in the journey so far …