SIKAR (hunting)

20.12.2011

It is an ancient practice for Santhal community. I feel lucky to accompany with a Santhal Team. The team constitute of couple of santhal people with 3 trained dogs. It was a seven and half hours strenuous walking (and sometime running behind the sikar) through jungles and fields with lot of ups and downs. The journey initiated from the village Beldanga after a 5 mins PUJA to Marang Buru.

The first two hrs. the journey become non-futile except a narrow escape of wild rabbit........it was running to save its life and the three dogs made a unified attack. But the rabbit was lucky enough......I have no idea taht a rabbit can run in such a pace....the first success catch of a wild rabbit is successfully made by Rai Soren's dog. The third and fourth attempt failed and next occasion Rai Soren Himself throwed his "KUTHAR" to a escaping rabbit and the target is perfect. Meanwhile Sufal Tudu threw his stick to a flying TITIR bird and hurt it. The total outcome is limited by capturing two wild rabbits and a Titir Bird.........The successful hunter will get the one leg piece (the back portion) as a reward and the rest portion will be divided equally to all participants. I touched the body of the dead rabbit.those are still very warm, I feel pity for those poor creatures but the whole was full of life and enthusiastic throughout the Sikar. The senior member of the team Kanai Murmu told he heard about hunting tigers 20-25 years ago,that time the place was full of jungles.....He hunted wild cats (GAUS BIRAL),Haina (HAINA), Squirrel (NEUL),Rabbits etc.

The equipments they used is Bow and arrow (arrows of two type.one is sharp edged called "PHULI"  and another is of flat edged called "HABAR" in Santhali language), net to capture rabbits called "JHILI" made of strings for capturing fishes, diffeent sizes of hard sticks and shovel for digging soil if required.

 I returned home with  lot of fatigue muscles and an unique feeling never experienced before.

The team members: Sufal Tudu, narayana Hansda,Madan Hansda,Bhajahari Murmu,Rai Soren, Matilal Hansda,Ranjit Murmu,Babudeb Soren,Chandan Soren, Kanai Murmu, Kabiraj Soren,Diyashi Soren,Sakhu Hembram.

Santhals

The santhal children enjoyed a merry moment

I am doing a personal project upon the "SANTHALS",the largest tribal community of India. It is almost more than 7 years I am adhere with the project. I visited their villages innumerable times.In this continuing project the major photographs were shot in  three remote villages named Sairpara, Harispur & Beldanga situated in Birbhum district ,West Bengal. My effort is to unveil their daily life,cultural life,their happiness and sorrow,the changes faced by the community in this fast jet globalized world.

About Santhals: The largest tribal community of India, Santhals are spreaded over in the states of Jharkhand,Bihar, West Bengal, and Orissa as well as in Bangladesh and Nepal. By nature, the Santhals love Music,Wine & Dance.The great Sidhu Murmu, Kanhu Murmu, Chand Murmu and Bhairo Murmu fought against British Permanent Settlement Act of Lord Cornwallis at late 1850. The lifestyle is simple and colourful. You will find beautiful artworks and painting in the walls of their houses.Santhals don't believe in idol worship.

A Santhal woman decorated herself and awaiting for her husband to return from his work

According to their religion view Sun is omnipotent and  treated as the creator and father whereas earth is believed as mother and she brings up all. They have a very distinct and firm judicial system. The head of the Santhal community is called Manjhi Hadam (headman of village). He is the chief of the executive, judicial and all other functions within society. In their social structure the Murmu are the priests  and Mardi the businessmen, while Kisku are the rulers and Hemram judges. Similarly, the Tudu are musicians and Soren soldiers.

 
The Santhal marriage Known as "Bapla" generally executed through the consent of the parents of bride and groom followed by the deposition of Bride-price. The prime festivals like Karma, Badhna & Baha (Holi) are celebrated with lot of enthusiasm, dance & wine.