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{{Short description|Spring Festival in India}} | {{Short description|Spring Festival in India}} | ||
'''Sarhul''' is a spring festival in the [[States and union territories of India|Indian state]] of [[Jharkhand]] | '''Sarhul''' is a spring festival celebrated in the [[States and union territories of India|Indian state]] of [[Jharkhand]], marking the commencement of the new year. The festival lasts for three days, from the third day of the Chaitra month in Shukla Paksha to Chaitra Purnima. During the festival, the village priest, known as the ''[[Pahan]]'' offers a sacrifice of flowers, fruits, vermilion, a rooster, and tapan (liquor) in the [[Sarna (place)|Sarna]] to the Sun, the village deity, and the ancestors for the prosperity of the village. After the rituals, locals dance while holding [[Shorea robusta|Sal]] flowers.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.news18.com/news/lifestyle/sarhul-2022-all-you-need-to-know-about-the-festival-celebrated-in-jharkhand-4935917.html|title=All You Need to Know About the Festival Celebrated in Jharkhand|website=news18|date=4 April 2022|accessdate=4 April 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://zeenews.india.com/hindi/india/bihar-jharkhand/jharkhand/jharkhand-the-festival-of-nature-is-being-celebrated-in-jharkhand-concrete-arrangements-have-been-made/1142537|title=झारखंड में मनाया जा रहा है प्रकृति का पर्व सरहुल, झूम रहे हैं लोग|website=zeenews|date=4 April 2022|accessdate=4 April 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.jagran.com/jharkhand/ranchi-unique-tradition-on-sarhul-in-jharkhand-festival-dishes-are-prepared-by-putting-hands-in-boiling-oil-jagran-special-22595616.html|title=सरहुल पर अनूठी परंपरा... झारखंड के इस गांव में खौलते तेल में हाथ डालकर बनाए जाते हैं पकवान|website=|date=3 April 2022|accessdate=4 April 2022}}</ref> | ||
[[File:Holy Prayer.jpg|thumb|270x270px|People worshiping under | [[File:Holy Prayer.jpg|thumb|270x270px|People worshiping under the sacred Sarna tree on the occasion of Sarhul in the outskirts of Ranchi, Jharkhand.]] | ||
It is | According to tradition, Sarhul also symbolizes the marriage between the Earth and the Sun.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://zeenews.india.com/hindi/india/bihar-jharkhand/jharkhand/sarhul-festival-celebration-start-on-jharkhand-photos-and-video-viral/1142806|title='सरहुल' पर प्रकृति के रंग में रंग गया झारखंड, हर जगह निकल रही विशाल शोभा यात्राएं|website=zeenews|date=4 April 2022|accessdate=4 April 2022}}</ref> It is an important festival observed by the [[Kurukh people|Kurukh]] and [[Sadan people|Sadan]] communities.<ref name="Prabhat Prakashan 2022">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9S1pEAAAQBAJ&pg=SA2-PA1|title=JHARKHAND GENERAL KNOWLEDGE 2021|author= Manish Ranjan|publisher=Prabhat Prakashan|date=2022|isbn=9789354883002}}</ref> Among the Kurukh, it is known as '''Khaddi''' (meaning "flower" in the [[Kurukh language]]). The festival is called '''Hadi Bonga''' among the [[Bhumij people|Bhumijs]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=साल वृक्ष की पूजा कर मांगी सुख-समृद्धि |url=https://www.jagran.com/jharkhand/jamshedpur-sarhul-puja-at-harina-organised-17699034.html |access-date=2022-08-19 |website=Dainik Jagran |language=hi}}</ref> while among the [[Ho people|Ho]] and [[Munda people]], it is known as '''Baa Parab'''. The [[Santal people|Santals]] call it '''[[Baha parab|Baha Parab]]'''.<ref name="Prabhat khabar1"/> In December 2025, [[Sujeet Kumar (politician)|Sujeet Kumar]], Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha (Upper House) advocated to nominate Sarhul to UNESCO's intangible cultural herigate list.<ref>{{Cite web |last=PTI |date=2025-12-01 |title=Grant special status for 3 years to state after it faces cyclone, suggests BJD MP Sasmit Patra in RS |url=https://theprint.in/india/grant-special-status-for-3-years-to-state-after-it-faces-cyclone-suggests-bjd-mp-sasmit-patra-in-rs/2796035/ |access-date=2025-12-04 |website=ThePrint |language=en-US}}</ref> | ||
==Etymology== | ==Etymology== | ||
Sarhul is the [[Nagpuri language|Nagpuri]] name | Different tribes have their own names for the festival. Sarhul is the [[Nagpuri language|Nagpuri]] name for the festival. In Nagpuri, ''Sar'' or ''Sarai'' refers to the Sal tree (''[[Shorea robusta]]'') and ''hul'' means 'collectively' or 'grove'. It symbolizes the celebration of nature through the Sal tree.<ref name="issuu">{{cite web|url=https://issuu.com/anupam_purty/docs/sarhul_document|title=SARHUL- Festival of the Mundas'|page=20|website=issuu|author=Anupam Purty|date=10 April 2013|accessdate=4 April 2022|archive-date=24 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230224074028/https://issuu.com/anupam_purty/docs/sarhul_document|url-status=dead}}</ref> | ||
Alternative interpretations include: | Alternative interpretations include: | ||
*''Hul'' may refer to 'revolution,' symbolizing a revolution through Sal flowers.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ujjwalpradesh.com/sarhul-festival-2022-meaning-of-sarhul-when-celebrates-where-celebrated-importance-of-pooja/|title=सरहुल का अर्थ, सरहुल में केकड़ा का महत्व|website=ujjwalpradesh|date=30 March 2020|accessdate=4 April 2022}}</ref> | |||
*''Sar'' means 'year,' and Hul means 'begin', representing the beginning of a new year.<ref name="festivalsofindia">{{cite news|url=https://www.festivalsofindia.in/Sarhul-Festival|title=Sarhul Festival 2022 - April 04 (Monday)|website=festivalsofindia|date=4 April 2022|accessdate=4 April 2022}}</ref> | |||
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" | |||
|+ Different names of this spring festival | |||
|- | |||
! Festival name | |||
! Language | |||
! Tribe/Community | |||
! Location | |||
!Source | |||
|- | |||
|Sarhul | |||
|[[Nagpuri language|Nagpuri]] | |||
|Several tribes/communities | |||
|Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Assam | |||
| | |||
|- | |||
|[[Baha parab]], Baha Bonga | |||
|[[Santali language|Santali]] | |||
|[[Santal people|Santal]] | |||
|Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Assam | |||
| | |||
|- | |||
|Baa parab | |||
|[[Mundari language|Mundari]], [[Ho language|Ho]] | |||
|[[Munda people|Munda]], [[Ho people|Ho]] | |||
|Jharkhand, Odisha | |||
| | |||
|- | |||
|Hadi Bonga | |||
|[[Bhumij language|Bhumij]] | |||
|[[Bhumij people|Bhumij]] | |||
|Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha | |||
| | |||
|- | |||
|Khāddi, Khakhel-benja | |||
|[[Kurukh language|Kurukh]] | |||
|[[Oraon people|Oraon]] | |||
|Jharkhand | |||
|<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bahadur) |first=Sarat Chandra Roy (Rai |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LssVAAAAMAAJ&q=khaddi+Oraon |title=Oraon Religion & Customs |date=1928 |publisher="Man in India" office |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Hussain |first1=Sakir |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gv8OEAAAQBAJ&dq=khaddi+Oraon&pg=PA177 |title=Recent Developments in Historical and Archaeological Researches in Odisha |last2=Mendaly |first2=Subodha |date=2020-10-01 |publisher=Walnut Publication |isbn=978-93-90261-82-6 |language=en}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
|Amnuakhia | |||
|[[Kharia language|Kharia]] | |||
|[[Kharia people|Kharia]] | |||
|Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal | |||
|<ref>{{Cite book |last=Vidyarthi |first=Lalita Prasad |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6xZsvFPca2UC&dq=amnuakhia&pg=PA74 |title=The Kharia Then and Now |date=1980 |publisher=Concept Publishing Company |language=en}}</ref> | |||
|} | |||
==Celebration== | |||
In this festival, people worship in ''[[Sarna (place)|Sarna]]''. Ploughing is forbidden on this day. People observe a fast one day before the festival. Young people collect Sal flowers from the nearby forest and catch crabs and fish. On the occasion of the festival, people go to Sarna to the beats of [[Dhol]], Nagara and [[Madal|Mandar]]. They worship the Sal tree, and Shalai, the flowers of the Sal tree, are offered to the deities. | |||
[[File:Sarhul Festival Celebration In Central University Of Jharkhand ,Brambe Campus, Ranchi , sample 1.jpg|thumb|A group of womens, dressed in traditional red and white sarees and attire performing traditional sarhul festival folk dance]] | |||
The village priest, [[Pahan]] (sometimes called Laya or Deuri) and Pujar, offers sacrifices to the village deity, including [[Shorea robusta|Sal]] flowers, fruits, vermilion, three roosters, and Tapan (liquor) for the prosperity of the village. The Pahan sacrifices three roosters of different colors — each dedicated to the Sun, the village deities, and the ancestors. The Pahan places a water pot in [[Sarna (place)|Sarna]] and, on the following day, predicts the weather for the coming year. He also distributes Sal flowers among the villagers. People worship the souls of their ancestors at home and offer different types of food to them. Only after making these offerings do they eat. Afterward, they sing and dance to the beats of the Dhol, Nagara, and Mandar, while also drinking rice beer, [[Handia (drink)|Handia]].<ref name="Prabhat khabar1">{{cite news|url=https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/live/sarhul-2022-live-updates-date-importance-and-sigificance-of-tribal-festival-sarhul-parv-ki-shubhkaamnaein-sry-tvi|title=आज मनाया जा रहा है प्रकृति पर्व सरहुल, जानें पूजा विधि और इसका महत्व|website=Prabhat khabar|date=4 April 2022|accessdate=4 April 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/state/jharkhand/ranchi/sarhul-2022-jharkhand-tribal-community-is-celebrating-marriage-of-sun-earth-there-is-a-custom-to-make-9-types-of-vegetables-srn|title=धरती के विवाह के रुप में आज आदिवासी समुदाय मना रहा है सरहुल, 9 प्रकार की सब्जियां बनाने का है रिवाज|website=Prabhat khabar|date=4 April 2022|accessdate=4 April 2022}}</ref><ref name="festivalsofindia"/> | |||
[[File:SARHUL IN RANCHI.jpg|thumb|Sarhul dance procession in Ranchi]] | |||
Since 1961, processions have been organized during the Sarhul festival in [[Ranchi]] and [[Gumla]]. Before that, there were no such processions; people only danced near [[Sarna sthal]].<ref name="Prabhat khabar1"/> In urban areas, middle-class tribal activists have reinvented the nature festival Sarhul to emphasize regional identity, while in rural areas, it remains primarily a thanksgiving ritual to the deities.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Oe8uYsl_GD8C&pg=PT234|title=In the Shadows of the State: Indigenous Politics, Environmentalism, and Insurgency in Jharkhand, India|publisher=Duke University Press|author=Alpa Shah|year=2010|isbn=978-0822392934|page=220|access-date=7 April 2022}}</ref> | |||
== | ==Similar festival== | ||
* [[Baha parab]], a festival of Santhals. | |||
*[[Baha parab]], | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
| Line 34: | Line 76: | ||
[[Category:Festivals in Jharkhand]] | [[Category:Festivals in Jharkhand]] | ||
[[Category:Nagpuri culture]] | [[Category:Nagpuri culture]] | ||
[[Category:Tribal festivals in India]] | |||
Latest revision as of 18:01, 4 December 2025
Sarhul is a spring festival celebrated in the Indian state of Jharkhand, marking the commencement of the new year. The festival lasts for three days, from the third day of the Chaitra month in Shukla Paksha to Chaitra Purnima. During the festival, the village priest, known as the Pahan offers a sacrifice of flowers, fruits, vermilion, a rooster, and tapan (liquor) in the Sarna to the Sun, the village deity, and the ancestors for the prosperity of the village. After the rituals, locals dance while holding Sal flowers.[1][2][3]
According to tradition, Sarhul also symbolizes the marriage between the Earth and the Sun.[4] It is an important festival observed by the Kurukh and Sadan communities.[5] Among the Kurukh, it is known as Khaddi (meaning "flower" in the Kurukh language). The festival is called Hadi Bonga among the Bhumijs,[6] while among the Ho and Munda people, it is known as Baa Parab. The Santals call it Baha Parab.[7] In December 2025, Sujeet Kumar, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha (Upper House) advocated to nominate Sarhul to UNESCO's intangible cultural herigate list.[8]
Etymology[edit | edit source]
Different tribes have their own names for the festival. Sarhul is the Nagpuri name for the festival. In Nagpuri, Sar or Sarai refers to the Sal tree (Shorea robusta) and hul means 'collectively' or 'grove'. It symbolizes the celebration of nature through the Sal tree.[9]
Alternative interpretations include:
- Hul may refer to 'revolution,' symbolizing a revolution through Sal flowers.[10]
- Sar means 'year,' and Hul means 'begin', representing the beginning of a new year.[11]
| Festival name | Language | Tribe/Community | Location | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sarhul | Nagpuri | Several tribes/communities | Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Assam | |
| Baha parab, Baha Bonga | Santali | Santal | Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Assam | |
| Baa parab | Mundari, Ho | Munda, Ho | Jharkhand, Odisha | |
| Hadi Bonga | Bhumij | Bhumij | Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha | |
| Khāddi, Khakhel-benja | Kurukh | Oraon | Jharkhand | [12][13] |
| Amnuakhia | Kharia | Kharia | Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal | [14] |
Celebration[edit | edit source]
In this festival, people worship in Sarna. Ploughing is forbidden on this day. People observe a fast one day before the festival. Young people collect Sal flowers from the nearby forest and catch crabs and fish. On the occasion of the festival, people go to Sarna to the beats of Dhol, Nagara and Mandar. They worship the Sal tree, and Shalai, the flowers of the Sal tree, are offered to the deities.
The village priest, Pahan (sometimes called Laya or Deuri) and Pujar, offers sacrifices to the village deity, including Sal flowers, fruits, vermilion, three roosters, and Tapan (liquor) for the prosperity of the village. The Pahan sacrifices three roosters of different colors — each dedicated to the Sun, the village deities, and the ancestors. The Pahan places a water pot in Sarna and, on the following day, predicts the weather for the coming year. He also distributes Sal flowers among the villagers. People worship the souls of their ancestors at home and offer different types of food to them. Only after making these offerings do they eat. Afterward, they sing and dance to the beats of the Dhol, Nagara, and Mandar, while also drinking rice beer, Handia.[7][15][11]
Since 1961, processions have been organized during the Sarhul festival in Ranchi and Gumla. Before that, there were no such processions; people only danced near Sarna sthal.[7] In urban areas, middle-class tribal activists have reinvented the nature festival Sarhul to emphasize regional identity, while in rural areas, it remains primarily a thanksgiving ritual to the deities.[16]
Similar festival[edit | edit source]
- Baha parab, a festival of Santhals.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ "All You Need to Know About the Festival Celebrated in Jharkhand". news18. 4 April 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
- ↑ "झारखंड में मनाया जा रहा है प्रकृति का पर्व सरहुल, झूम रहे हैं लोग". zeenews. 4 April 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
- ↑ "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.
- ↑ "'सरहुल' पर प्रकृति के रंग में रंग गया झारखंड, हर जगह निकल रही विशाल शोभा यात्राएं". zeenews. 4 April 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
- ↑ Manish Ranjan (2022). JHARKHAND GENERAL KNOWLEDGE 2021. Prabhat Prakashan. ISBN 9789354883002.
- ↑ "साल वृक्ष की पूजा कर मांगी सुख-समृद्धि". Dainik Jagran (in हिन्दी). Retrieved 2022-08-19.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "आज मनाया जा रहा है प्रकृति पर्व सरहुल, जानें पूजा विधि और इसका महत्व". Prabhat khabar. 4 April 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
- ↑ PTI (2025-12-01). "Grant special status for 3 years to state after it faces cyclone, suggests BJD MP Sasmit Patra in RS". ThePrint. Retrieved 2025-12-04.
- ↑ Anupam Purty (10 April 2013). "SARHUL- Festival of the Mundas'". issuu. p. 20. Archived from the original on 24 February 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
- ↑ "सरहुल का अर्थ, सरहुल में केकड़ा का महत्व". ujjwalpradesh. 30 March 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Sarhul Festival 2022 - April 04 (Monday)". festivalsofindia. 4 April 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
- ↑ Bahadur), Sarat Chandra Roy (Rai (1928). Oraon Religion & Customs. "Man in India" office.
- ↑ Hussain, Sakir; Mendaly, Subodha (2020-10-01). Recent Developments in Historical and Archaeological Researches in Odisha. Walnut Publication. ISBN 978-93-90261-82-6.
- ↑ Vidyarthi, Lalita Prasad (1980). The Kharia Then and Now. Concept Publishing Company.
- ↑ "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.
- ↑ 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.