Sarhul

Sarhul is a spring festival in the Indian state of Jharkhand. It is a symbol of commencement of the new year. The festival is celebrated for three days, from the 3rd day of Chaitra month in Sukla Paksh to Chaitra Purnima. In the festival, the village priest Pahan offers sacrifice of flowers, fruit, vermilion, rooster and tapan (liquor) in Sarna to Sun, village deity and ancestor for good fortune of the village. Then the locals dance holding flowers of the sal tree. ^[1][2][3] According to the tradition, it also symbolises marriage between the Earth and the Sun.^[4] It is an important festival observed by the Kurukh and Sadan.^[5] Among Kurukh it is known as Khaddi (lit. 'flower') in Kurukh.

People worshiping under holy sarna tree on the occasion of sarhul in outskirts of Ranchi, Jharkhand.

It is known as Hadi Bonga among the Bhumijs, Mundas.^[6] It is known as Baha parab among the Ho and Santal people.^[7]

Etymology

Sarhul is the Nagpuri name of the festival. Sar or Sarai refers to the sal tree (Shorea robusta) in Nagpuri and hul means 'collectively', also 'grove'. It symbolises celebrating nature through sal.^[8]

Alternative interpretations include:

• Hul may refer to 'revolution', which translates to revolution through the sal flowers.^[9]

• Sar means year and hul means begin. It symbolises the beginning of a new year.^[10]

The festival

In this festival people worship in Sarna. Ploughing is forbidden on this day. People fast one day before the festival. Young people collect Sal flowers from the nearby forest and catch crabs and fish. On the occasion of festival people go to Sarna by beating of Dhol, Nagara and Madal. People worship the Sal tree. Shalai, the flowers of Sal tree, are offered to deities. The village priest Pahan, sometimes called Laya, and Pujar offer sacrifice to village deity of Sal flowers, fruit, vermilion, three roosters and Tapan (liquor) for good fortune of village. Pahan sacrifices three roosters of different colours, each for Sun, village deities and ancestors. Pahan put water pot in Sarna and next day forecast about weather for next year. Pahan distributes flower of Sal tree among villagers. People worship souls of their ancestors in their home and offer different food to them. Only after offering foods to souls of their ancestors, they eat food. Then they sing, dance in beat of dhol, nagara and mandar, also drink rice beer Handia.^[7][11][10]

Sarhul dance procession in Ranchi

Since 1961, procession are being organised in Sarhul festival in Gumla. Before that there was no such procession, people were only dancing near Sarnasthal.^[7] In urban areas, middle class tribal activists have reinvented nature festival Sahul to mark regional identity while in rural areas it is limited to thanksgiving to deities.^[12]

Related festivals in India

There are several festivals which are celebrated as new year across India. Some festivals are as follows:

• Baha parab, among Kol, Ho, Santal people and Munda
• Rongali Bihu In Assam
• Vaisakhi in Punjab, India
• Pohela Boishakh in West Bengal, India
• Vishu in Kerala

References

1. "All You Need to Know About the Festival Celebrated in Jharkhand". news18. 4 April 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
2. "झारखंड में मनाया जा रहा है प्रकृति का पर्व सरहुल, झूम रहे हैं लोग". zeenews. 4 April 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
3. "सरहुल पर अनूठी परंपरा... झारखंड के इस गांव में खौलते तेल में हाथ डालकर बनाए जाते हैं पकवान". 3 April 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
4. "'सरहुल' पर प्रकृति के रंग में रंग गया झारखंड, हर जगह निकल रही विशाल शोभा यात्राएं". zeenews. 4 April 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
5. Manish Ranjan (2022). JHARKHAND GENERAL KNOWLEDGE 2021. Prabhat Prakashan. ISBN 9789354883002.
6. "साल वृक्ष की पूजा कर मांगी सुख-समृद्धि". Dainik Jagran (in Hindi). Retrieved 2022-08-19.
7. "आज मनाया जा रहा है प्रकृति पर्व सरहुल, जानें पूजा विधि और इसका महत्व". Prabhat khabar. 4 April 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
8. Anupam Purty (10 April 2013). "SARHUL- Festival of the Mundas'". issuu. p. 20. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
9. "सरहुल का अर्थ, सरहुल में केकड़ा का महत्व". ujjwalpradesh. 30 March 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
10. "Sarhul Festival 2022 - April 04 (Monday)". festivalsofindia. 4 April 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
11. "धरती के विवाह के रुप में आज आदिवासी समुदाय मना रहा है सरहुल, 9 प्रकार की सब्जियां बनाने का है रिवाज". Prabhat khabar. 4 April 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
12. Alpa Shah (2010). In the Shadows of the State: Indigenous Politics, Environmentalism, and Insurgency in Jharkhand, India. Duke University Press. p. 220. ISBN 978-0822392934. Retrieved 7 April 2022.