Sahil Marandi, a 27 year old man from Santhal area of Sahibgunj, Jharkhand, is dancing with his family and friends in his traditional attire, with the tamak and tumdak (drums) being played in the background. He is happily singing the folk songs popular during Sohrai, harvest festival of the Santhals.
'Latar Tola RemaGayko Tolekan,
Chetan Gola Rema Kadako Tolekan,
Gayko TolekanDo Todesutaam Te,
Kadako TolekanDo Bandi Bod Te.”
The song reflects Santhali's close relationship with nature, daily life, social relationships, and spiritual beliefs. With a population of around 6 million people, the Santhal tribe is the largest tribe of Jharkhand. Belonging to the Munda ethnic group, they are deeply connected to nature; they can often be observed paying obeisance at the Jaher (sacred grove). Their folktales are regarded as an unwritten record of their history and are different from myths and legends. Santhal myths include stories about the origin of the universe, Gods, man and even animals. They also dwell on extraordinary natural phenomena such as spirits, magic, life after dead, etc. The Santhali songs represent an important aspect of their culture.
They are often sung in a call-and-response style, creating a lively and interactive musical experience. These are a form of gratitude to the bounty of nature and the hard work and efforts of the farmers. These musical traditions, passed down through generations, are a testament to the rich cultural heritage of Jharkhand and continue to be a source of cultural pride and identity for the local communities.
Mostly concentrated in the Santhal Pargana belt of Jharkhand, Santhal tribe gradually migrated to Odisha and West Bengal too. The Santhals are considered to be an Adivasi or indigenous community, and their history is marked by resilience, resistance, and a harmonious connection with nature. They are primarily agriculturists and depend on livestock too for their livelihoods. Draupadi Murmu, President of India also belongs to the same tribe.
Marandi says, “We are culturally very rich. Right from our births to deaths, there are many folktales and folklores that define who we are. We have been hearing from our grandmothers, aunts, uncles, mothers and fathers. And this way we have kept these folklores alive in every generation. Whether it is the story of kings and queens, lovers, friends-enemies, relation between a father and a son, there are ample stories of the community to keep all of us entertained and provide a moral lesson. Folklore also helps us to share our common history, reinforce cultural values and hold on to our rich traditional practices.”
He adds, “We worship nature in all its forms. Nature is our God. When we suffer from scorching heat, God presents itself in the form of rain. When there is excess water, God takes the form of Sunrays and dries up the field and provides relief to everyone in distress.”
One important characteristic of folklore is that the forms may remain the same while the functions differ. Among the Santhal tribal groups, a work-song sung during paddy plantation may help them work better and synchronise their efforts at the field. This same song may have a different function, where the children at Dhumkuria (dormitory) sing for entertainment. Much tribal folklore is seen to be affected to a large extent by nature and hence, many of their folktales and folk songs are based on their habitation in the forest and their relationship with the deities and forest. The Santhals are famous for their songs and dances that have become an integral part of life.
Santhal, like many tribal communities, also believes in supernatural existence amidst them and that most of their folktales are based on this being. Bonga, a supernatural power, exists as a quality or attribute of objects. For Ruby Murmu, a school teacher, the impersonal bonga uses the medium of dreams to foretell, day-dreams being used for fire-warning about bad things. She says, “Bonga is the manifestation of a vague supernatural power, one that is the cause of all energy. Anything that is new, requires a new adjustment, and anything that upsets the personality- environment adjustment is a bonga. The self- created Sing-bonga made the earth with grass and trees. Next they created animals, those ones first which were meant for domestication, and the wild ones later. A boy and girl were then created and put in a cave to bring forth progeny. ”
In the myths and folk tales heard in the tribal villages of the country is enshrined, in a poetic and imaginative garb, the philosophy of these simple folks. ‘How the world evolved’ is the most common myth –motif.
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