11 April 2024
Jharkhand Regional holiday | Thursday |
One of the most popular tribal festivals celebrated across the Jharkhand region, Sarhul festival marks the beginning of New Year. It is celebrated by the Oraon, the Munda and the Ho tribes, of the Jharkhand region. Celebrated every year in the first month of the Hindu calendar, on the third day of the moon or the fortnight of Chaitra, Sarhul marks the advent of the spring season or “Phaagun” and is celebrated till the month of June or “Jeth”.
Sarhul means the worship of trees. Being close to nature, these tribes start the Sarhul festival with the worship of trees and other elements of nature.
Sarhul is an important festival of the Oraon tribe of the Jharkhand region in India. Worshippers of nature, the Oarontribes celebrate the Sarhul festival when the Saal trees get new branches leaves and flowers. Another largest tribe of Jharkhand, Santals also celebrate the festival as the “festival of flowers”. It is called the “Baha”. The tribes use the Sal and Mahua flowers for the rituals. The Sarhul festival is celebrated during spring season. The history of the Sarhul festival dates back to the period of Mahabharata as per several legends of Sarhul festival. The history of the Sarhul festival reveals that this festival is celebrated in the spring season. It is when the villagers offer prayers to the village God, the protector of the tribe. With the onset of spring and the blooming of flowers, the villagers start their celebration with lots of music and dance.
The Indian state of Jharkhand, which earlier was a part of Bihar, is home to many tribes like Santhal, Kharia, Baiga, Kisan, Ho, Chero etc. These tribes were nomadic in the past and were fully dependent on Mother Nature for their livelihood and existence. Sarhul is a tribal festival of various tribes living for centuries in Jharkhand (Bihar) and in this festival Mother Nature is worshipped for getting blessing and being spared from her wrath.