The Santhal community is in the spotlight after the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) nominated one of its leaders, Droupadi Murmu, for the election to the highest Constitutional post of India. Ms. Murmu’s home district, Mayurbhanj, has one of the largest concentrations of the Santhal tribe.
About Santhal
- Santhal is the third largest Scheduled Tribe community in the country after Gond and Bhil.
- The Santhal population is mostly distributed in Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal.
- In Odisha, Santhals are found in Keonjhar and Balasore, other than in Mayurbhanj district.
- According to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Research and Training Institute (SCSTRTI), Bhubaneswar, the word Santhal is derived from two words: santha meaning calm and peaceful and ala meaning man.
- Santhals speak Santhali which has its own script called ‘Ol chiki’ invented by Pundit Raghunath Murmu.
- Santhali in OI-Chiki script has been included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution.
- Ol-Chiki is medium of instructions in many schools across the State.
- Even Santhal is a subject in post-graduate class.
- Santhal houses called ‘Olah’ are distinct and can be identified from a distance. They are large, neat and attractive with multi-coloured paintings on the outside walls. The bottom of the wall is painted with black soil, the middle portion with white and the upper portion with red.
- Of late, the Santhal’s Phuta Katcha pattern saree and dress, sold through e-commerce sites, are widely accepted in the community.
(Source: The Hindu)
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