ShodhPatra: International Journal of Science and Humanities

Hunting Tradition of the Santals

Among India’s Scheduled Tribes, the Santhals are the third most populous. They primarily reside in the states of Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Assam, but a significant number also live in Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. Despite this wide geographical spread, their culture and traditions remain remarkably consistent. Among their many cultural practices, hunting stands out as a significant tradition. Hunting is a traditional culture of Santals. It's a men's game. They worship and hunt the forests once a year. It is also called the marriage of forests. Worshiping the gods of forests and mountains, they feel comfortable roaming only after hunting in the forests. First of all, they fix the day of hunting and tie the Gira to invite peoples. They tie the Gira of Khajoor or Kita branches. People open or pluck each leaf of the Khajoor or Kita Gira every day from the day of tying to the appointed day. On the day when the leaves end, people worship the forests and hunt. Hunting does not mean killing wild creatures. They drive away wild animals from their surroundings so as to save the crop from wild animals. In the Santal Society, hunters are respected. After returning from hunting, the hunters’ feet are washed with respect. After that, they enter the house and are given food. Married men re-wear the wife's bracelet opened before going to the hunt. The meat is offered to the gods and ancestors, after which all the people of the family eat.