Sacred Grove of Santals - Abode of God And Ecological Saviour

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This book deals with one of the most important social issues of tribal identity. It should be collated to their issues of survival. Now all over the world various conscious efforts are taken for biodiversity maintenance at local, regional, national or global extent. Unfortunately, ruthless deforestation makes serious crisis to the forest habitats of India. Mentioning this conflicting situation present study explores the unique traditional resource management system of Santal sacred grove Jaherthan. Sacred grove of the Santals mainly constitutes of sal tree (shorea robusta). They consider sal as 'the tree of life'. Nature based traditional knowledge system is the foundation of their whole cultural complex. Usually, sacred grove management includes maintenance of forest as well as biodiversity through taboos, rites, magical beliefs and magico-religious activities. The beliefs and rites, performed in the sacred grove, always have historical, social, religious, functional and utilitarian values in their life. Overall sacred grove culture reflects the crucial interface between ecological management and culture. Jaherthan is an important identity marker of the Santals. It is not only the abode of Santali Gods and Goddesses; it is the platform of learning nature and from this interactive sphere Santals get the social education. The Sacred Grove of Santals reviews the ecological and socio-religious values of Jaherthan emphasizing Santali religious conviction about plant worship.

Susmita Poddar is a Kolkata-based folklorist having the academic background in both the disciplines of geography and folklore. She passed Geography Honors from Presidency College, Kolkata and pursued M. A. and the Ph.D. degree in Folklore from Kalyani University. Nearly last two decades she has been concentrated on extensive research works on various folk groups including diversified tribal folks. Her postdoctoral research work on the migrant tea tribes of Dooars tea gardens of Himalayan foothills area got high appreciation by the scholars of the Calicut University, the affiliating institution of the study. In her academic career, in different capacities, she has been taking part in the teaching learning process of various academic institutions like Folklore Department of Kalyani University, CEDEC of National Institute of Social Work And Social Science (Bhubaneswar), Folklore and Tribal Studies. Department of Dravidian University and School of Folklore and Tribal Studies. of Calicut University. She was awarded. one-year fellowship by National Folklore Support Centre of Chennai to study "the Sacred Groves of Santals'. This book is the outcome of this study. She is also a recipient of 2006-2008 Off-Campus Associate Fellowship of Dravidian University for the research work on 'Uprooted Oraons: Crisis of Identity or Survival?" At present she is actively working among the migrant tribes of the tea gardens of Jalpaiguri. She has written some books and several articles on various aspects of folklore and tribal life.

The workshop on "From Fieldwork to Public Domain", organized by the National Folklore Support Centre (NFSC) on 1 15th May 2000 was the preparatory stand, from where the idea of this study on sacred groves of Santals was initiated. In this workshop, the embryo of this study first germinated in the author's mind, as in different sessions of this workshop religious pantheon and traditional resource management system of tribal communities were discussed frequently in relation to the local administrative and socio-political hierarchy all over India. In this connection, I should gratefully acknowledge Late Dr Komal Kothari, the eminent folklorist of Rajasthan, who personally inspired me to study traditional forest management system at the micro level. I also acknowledge National Folklore Support Centre for giving financial support to this study as I was awarded NFSC Fellowship for one year, the period which enabled me to conduct field works among Santal community in different parts of Bengal and adjacent Orissa. Though sacred grove is a very old phenomenon among the forest- and hill-tribes of India it is not well recognized by the larger society even till date. Often people ask me that why I choose Santals' sacrosanct forest (Jaherthan), forest-based rituals and traditional forest management system as a subject of serious study. In the academic sphere, Jaherthan is a less discussed area. Previously serious scholars did not concentrate on Jaherthan. In relation to environmental studies indeed various researches were done on ethnobotany and biodiversity management of sacred forests in different parts of India, especially of southern, western and north-eastern parts. The name of Madhav Gadgil, an eminent ecologist, should be mentioned in this regard, who has done serious works on the sacred forest of the southern and western India. But with a few exceptions, Santals' nature conservation system through Jaherthan rituals is almost ignored by the serious scholars. The observation and findings of such studies have not also been included in the governmental policies while implementing socio-economic projects of Bihar and Jharkhand, the homeland of this ethnic group. As a student of folklore, I feel to highlight this area where traditional knowledge about native vegetation is effectively used for biodiversity maintenance, either intentionally or instinctively. Santals are chosen because since the beginning of my academic career I got the opportunity to work among the immigrant Santals, who have been staying in different settlements near to my hometown Kanchrapara. On several occasions, I got the opportunity to observe Santals' Jaherthan rituals and festivals. Their folklore related to sacred grove worship made me fascinated and ultimately encouraged me to diving into the venture. Santal community is chosen not only because of the geographical proximity of Santals" habitation to my place but also for the uniqueness of Santals' way of nature conservation system. In variegated Indian cultural panorama Santals insert the most colourful cultural landscape. Their performances of rituals at sacred grove are much brighter and gorgeous than that of the other Kolarian tribes. Moreover, traditional resource management system and man- nature relationship can be pragmatically evidenced in Jaherthan. In Santals' ancestral homeland on Hazaribagh plateau area, traditional forest conservation system through sacred grove rituals can be found ideally and widely. In the Western Frontier part and South-Western part of West Bengal and adjacent Orissa also Jaherthan is preserved by the migrant Santals. Present study covers sacred grove tradition of the migrant Santals of Pashchim Medinipur and North 24 Parganas of West Bengal and a small area of Orissa. In addition, similar phenomena were also studied outside the selected area and even outside the target community also. For this study, a most special debt of gratitude must be acknowledged to Salge Hembram, an elderly woman of Santal community of Shibdaspur village in North 24 Parganas. Without her assistance and affectionate company, it could not be possible for me to stay in remote Santal villages of Medinipur. She and her family always provided cordial reception during my numerous visits to Santal settlements of North 24 Parganas. In this regard, I would like to express my gratitude to Shree Laxmi Narayan Tudu, son-in-law of Salge Hembram, who introduced me to the field. My intense gratitude is also due to the people of the Santal villages of different places in my study area. Their warmth reception, outstanding hospitality and exceptional cooperation made me overwhelmed and also made this study possible. My stays in the remote Santal villages is a wonderful experience to me and will be an asset in my memory all through the life. Thank goes to Raghu Mandi and Late Negi Mandi, an old couple of Ningui village in Paschim Medinipur district, who provided a peaceful shelter in their house and served as cheery hosts. I almost used this shelter as the main centre of my field visits during my stays in Medinipur. I acknowledge the persons, who have extended cooperation in one or many ways during my study - Kalu Hembram, Pradhan Mandi, Kalipada Hembram, Shyam Charan Mandi, Guru Charan Mandi, Dugu Hembram, Purna Chandra Hembram, Bishu Mandi, Varsa Soren, Pranmani, Dulari Mandi, Ramchandra Hembram, Gomakanto Mahato, Durga Ram Hembram, Bukay Soren, Ram Singh Tudu and Tejkumar Toppo etc. I am always thankful to Dr Raghavan Payyanad, former Professor of School of Folklore Studies of Calicut University. Since the beginning of my academic career, I am blessed with his scholarly guidance and warm assistance whenever I need it. I acknowledge gratefully Mr. Ramanath Nayak and Dr Krishna Shankar Kusuma, my former colleagues in the department of social communication in NISWASS. Many times very patiently they gave parts of the manuscript helpful reading and furnished thoughtful suggestions. I also wish to thank Dr Bikas Chakraborti, former Reader of Political Science of Vidyasagar Evening College Kolkata, who inspired me many ways with his stimulating and substantial discourses all through the period of fieldwork and data analysis. Special thanks go to my family. My parents, two sisters and brother-in-law shared and tackled all the ups and downs all along the study period. Without their guidance and warmth protection, it would not be possible to reach the end. My debt will never be complemented to my father, who have checked the whole study report and commented most helpfully on the work, even in his deathbed. My heartiest recognition is due to Ms Sohini Chaki Roy, who makes my works as well as life joyous and pleasurable. I should acknowledge gratefully Anup Mondal, who has given support with his philosophical thoughts and charming presence. This research covers one of the most important social issues of nature conservation in relation to the identity of Santal community which is also collated to their issues of survival. I hope this research can be able to theorize possible ways of future policies.

**Contents and Sample Pages**