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	== See also ==		== See also ==
	~~{{Portal\|India\|Religion~~
	}}
	* [[Hinduism]]		* [[Hinduism]]
	* [[Indian religions\|Indian-origin religions]]		* [[Indian religions\|Indian-origin religions]]

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{{Expand Hindi|सरना धर्म|date=March 2021}}

{{Infobox religious group

| group = Sarnaism

| flag = Sarnaism flag.svg
| flag_size = 150px
| flag_alt =
| flag_caption = Flag of Sarnaism

| image = File:Sarna dhorom 2014-05-30 19-54.jpg
| image_size = 150px
| image_alt =
| image_caption = The Sarnaism Symbols used by some worshipers

| population = {{circa|7,841,870 - 9,341,870}}
| founder =
| regions = {{flag|India}} {{flag|Bangladesh}} {{flag|Nepal}} {{flag|Bhutan}}
| tablehdr =

| region1 = [[Jharkhand]]
| pop1 = 4,223,500
| ref1 =

| region2 = [[West Bengal]]
| pop2 = 2,512,331
| ref2 =

| region3 = [[Bihar]]
| pop3 = 1,349,460
| ref3 =

| region4 = [[Chhattisgarh]]
| pop4 = 768,910
|ref4 =

| region5 = [[Odisha]]
| pop5 = 478,317
| ref5 =

| region6 = {{flag|Bangladesh}}
| pop6 = 500,000
| ref6 =

}}

'''Sarna''' are sacred groves in the [[Hinduism|Indian religious]] traditions of the [[Chota Nagpur Plateau]] region in the states of [[Jharkhand]], [[Bihar]], [[Assam]], and [[Chhattisgarh]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Religious Complexity in Northeastern South Asia|url=https://www.geocurrents.info/cultural-geography/religion/religious-complexity-in-northeastern-south-asia|access-date=2021-10-21|website=GeoCurrents}}</ref> Followers of these rituals primarily belong to people of Chotoanagpur [[Munda people|Munda]], [[Bhumij people|Bhumij]], [[Kharia people|Kharia]], [[Baiga tribe|Baiga]], [[Ho people|Ho]], [[Kurukh people|Kurukh]], [[Santal people |Santal]] and non-tribal [[Sadan people|Sadan]].<ref name="bhaskar">{{Cite news|url=https://www.bhaskar.com/jharkhand/gumla/news/go-on-the-trail-as-told-by-saqar-mundal-singh-062023-4307550.html|title=बख्तर साय मुंडल सिंह के बताए राह पर चलें|website=bhaskar|access-date=5 December 2019}}</ref>{{Citation needed|date=May 2022}} According to local belief, a [[Grāmadevatā|''Gram deoti'']] or village deity resides in the sarna, where sacrifice is offered twice a year. Their belief system is called "Sarnaism", "Sarna Dharma", or "Religion of the Holy Woods".<ref>{{harvnb|Minahan|2012}}</ref>

== Etymology ==
''Sarna'' means "[[Sacred groves of India|grove]]" and is etymologically related to the name of the [[Shorea robusta|sal tree]].

== Theology ==
Adherents of '''Sarnaism''' believe in, worship, and revere a village deity as protector of village, who is called as ''Gaon khunt'', ''Gram deoti'', '''Dharmes''', ''Marang Buru'', ''Singbonga'', or by other names by different tribes.<ref name="Amit Jha">{{cite book |author=Amit Jha |year=2009 |title=Contemporary Religious Institutions in Tribal India |isbn=9780557090532 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zgLCCQAAQBAJ&q=sarnaism+belief&pg=PT121}}</ref> Adherents also believe in, worship, and revere ''Dharti ayo'' or ''Chalapachho Devi'', the [[mother goddess]] identified as the earth or nature.

== Worship places and rites ==
[[File:JAAHER garh.jpg|left|thumb|258x258px|Sarna adherents at a festival in 2018]]
Sarna is place of worship which is sacred grove. It is also called ''gram than'', ''Jaher than ''or ''Jaher gar'', and can be found in villages. [[Shorea robusta|Sal trees]] are in the sacred grove. The ceremonies are performed by the whole village community at a public gathering with the active participation of village priests, ''pahan''. The chief assistant of village priest is called ''Pujar '' or ''Naike''. The sthal typically has multiple trees like sal, [[Madhuca longifolia|mahua]], neem, and banyan.

The main festival of Sarnaism is [[Sarhul]], a festival in which devotees worship their ancestors. A legend among the Munda says a lion once ran after a man, who escaped by hiding in a bush. After the incident, he promised he would offer ''sakua'' flowers and leaves as well as a living animal. During the festival, the ''pahan'' brings three water pots to the ''sarna''. If the water pots reduce in level, they believe the monsoon will fail, but if it stays the same the monsoon will come as normal. Men then offer ''sakua'' flowers and leaves.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Srivastava |first=Malini |date=2007-10-01 |df=dmy-all |title=The Sacred Complex of Munda Tribe |journal=The Anthropologist |volume=9 |issue=4 |pages=327–330 |doi=10.1080/09720073.2007.11891020 |s2cid=73737689 |issn=0972-0073}}</ref>

== Demographics ==
{| class="wikitable"
!S. No.
!State
!Population
|-
|1.
|[[Jharkhand]]
|4,223,500
|-
|2.
|[[West Bengal]]
|2,512,331
|-
|3.
|[[Bihar]]
|1,349,460
|-
|4.
|[[Chhattisgarh]]
|768,910
|-
|5.
|[[Odisha]]
|478,317
|-
| colspan="2" |'''Total'''
|{{Circa|7,800,000 to 9,300,000}}
|-
! colspan="3" |Source: [[2011 Census of India]]<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-08-01|title=Fewer minor faiths in India now, finds Census; number of their adherents up|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/india-religion-census-fewer-minor-faiths-in-india-now-finds-census-number-of-their-adherents-up-2946824/|access-date=2021-06-12|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref>
|}

== Religious status ==
As a result of [[Western colonialism]] and [[Western imperialism in Asia|imperialism in Asia]], several attempts of [[indoctrination]] and [[Forced conversion#Christianity|forced conversion]] were carried out by western Christian missionaries in [[colonial India]], which went on for a century, and have caused [[sectarian conflict]] in the tribal areas of the [[Chota Nagpur Plateau|Chota Nagpur region]]. The arrival of the first German Protestant missionaries in 1845 was followed by Roman Catholic missionaries; conflict between Christian and Non-Christian tribals became evident in 1947–1948, when [[Independence of India|British colonial rulers left India]].<ref name=rel2>[https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/tribals-torn-apart-by-religion/article5934381.ece Tribals torn apart by religion], The Hindu. 014.</ref>

The [[National Commission for Scheduled Tribes]] (NCST) has suggested that Sarna religion be accorded independent category in the religion code of the [[Census of India]].<ref>{{cite web |title=ST panel for independent religion status to Sarna |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/7433842.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst |website=The Times of India |language=en-IN |date=6 February 2011}}</ref>
Several tribal organisations and Christian missionaries are demanding a distinct census code for Sarnaism.<ref name=rel6>{{cite news |first=Santosh K. |last=Kiro |url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130819/jsp/jharkhand/story_17245599.jsp |title=Delhi demo for Sarna identity |newspaper=The Telegraph |year=2013}}</ref><ref name=rel8>{{cite news |first=Pranab |last=Mukherjee |author-link=Pranab Mukherjee |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-03-30/ranchi/38144883_1_census-format-separate-sarna-religion-code-rally |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002175305/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-03-30/ranchi/38144883_1_census-format-separate-sarna-religion-code-rally |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-10-02 |title=Tribals to rally for inclusion of Sarna religion in census |date=2013-03-30 |newspaper=[[The Times of India]] |df=dmy-all}}</ref> The then Indian [[Ministry of Tribal Affairs|Minister of Tribal Affairs]], [[Jual Oram]], had, however, claimed in 2015,"There is no denial of the fact that tribals are Hindus."<ref name=rel1>[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/all-tribals-are-hindus-no-need-for-sarna-code-rss/articleshow/49616469.cms All tribals are Hindus, no need for Sarna code: RSS], Times of India, 1 May 2015.</ref>

The Catholic Church in India, led by Ranchi Catholic Archdiocese and Catholic bishops of Jharkhand, has supported a separate religious code for the tribals.{{Citation needed|reason=This claim needs a reliable source.|date=July 2022}} The former BJP-led government had introduced an anti-conversion law as they accused the church of forced conversion and usurpation of tribals' land.<ref name=rel3>[https://www.telegraphindia.com/jharkhand/church-writes-to-hemant-demanding-sarna-code-for-tribals/cid/1792471 Church writes to Hemant demanding Sarna code for tribals], Telegraph India, 19.09.2020.</ref>

In 2020, [[Jharkhand Mukti Morcha]]'s (JMM), which was in power in Jharkhand at that time, passed an unanimous assembly resolution on 'Sarna Code' for the inclusion of Sarna as separate religion in 2021 census, and sent to central government for approval.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jharkhand Assembly passes resolution on Sarna Code |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/jharkhand-assembly-passes-resolution-on-sarna-code/article33081116.ece |website=The Hindu |language=en-IN |date=12 November 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Bisoee |first=
Animesh |date=25 September 2021 |title=Tribals from nine states seek Sarna code in 2021 census |newspaper=[[:The Telegraph (India)|The Telegraph]] |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/jharkhand/tribals-seek-sarna-code-from-centre-in-2021-census/cid/1832132 |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Organisations ==
*Akhil Bharatiya Sarna Dharam (ABSD)
*All India Sarna Dharam Mandowa (AISDM)
*Kherwal Saonta Semled (KSS)

== See also ==
{{Portal|India|Religion
}}
* [[Hinduism]]
* [[Indian religions|Indian-origin religions]]
* [[Tribal religions in India]]
* [[Hindu denominations]]

{{Clear}}

== References ==
{{reflist|25em}}

== Bibliography==
===Books===
* {{cite book |first=A.K. |last=Sachchidananda |title=Elite and Development |publisher=Concept Publishing Co. |place=New Delhi |year=1980 |asin=B000MBN8J2}}
* {{cite book |first=James |last=Minahan |title=Ethnic Groups of South Asia and the Pacific: An encyclopedia |series=Ethnic Groups of the World |publisher=ABC-CLIO |year=2012 |isbn=978-1598846591}}
* {{cite book |first=Kishor Vidya |last=Niketan |title=The Spectrum of Tribal Religion in Bihar: A study of continuity & change among the Oraon of Chotanagpur |year=1988}}
* {{cite book |first=Phatik Chandra |last=Hembram |title=Sari-Sarna (Santhal religion) |publisher=Mittal Publications |year=1988 |isbn=8170990440}}

===Journal articles===
* {{cite journal |first=Malini |last=Srivastava |url=http://www.krepublishers.com/02-Journals/T-Anth/Anth-09-0-000-000-2007-Web/Anth-09-4-000-07-Abst-PDF/Anth-09-4-327-07-417-Srivastava-M/Anth-09-4-327-07-417-Srivastava-M-Tt.pdf |title=The Sacred Complex of Munda Tribe  |journal=Anthropologist |volume=9 |issue=4 |pages=327–330 |year=2007|doi=10.1080/09720073.2007.11891020 |s2cid=73737689 }}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Sarnaism}}
* {{cite web |url=http://www.arsnetwork.org/ |title=Adivasi Religion and Society Network |website=arsnetwork.org}}

{{Religion topics}}{{Religion in India topics}}{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Indian religions]]
[[Category:Asian ethnic religion]]
[[Category:Sacred groves of India]]
[[Category:Veneration of the dead]]

Sarnaism - Revision history

FerdinandGarden at 20:37, 16 February 2026

CleanupBot II: Removed empty portal template using script

ImportMaster: robot: Import articles to fix broken redirects