The Tribe Festival "Sohrai"

"Sohrai" Festive for Animal

"Sohrai" is a harvest festival of the Indian states of Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Bihar. It is also called animal festival. It is said that the name Sohrai is derived from the Paleolithic era word 'soro', which means to drive with a stick. More than a festival, Sohrai is a testament to the deep bond shared between man and nature. Additionally, Sohrai serves as an opportunity to recognize and preserve the invaluable cultural heritage of the tribal communities in Jharkhand. It is a festival celebrated on Amavasya (new moon) in the Hindu month of Kartik (October–November). In Santal Pargana it is celebrated in the month of January. In Santal Pargana it is celebrated between 10th and 15th of January. In this festival people observe fast, paint the house and cook food. At night, they light earthen lamps in cattle sheds and offer sacrifices to Gauraiya, the god of animals who is also known as Pashupati. It is celebrated after harvesting the crop. It is celebrated by Santal, Bhumij, Sadan, Oraon, Ho, Munda and among others.

On the opening day of the festival the village priest performs rituals and sacrifices chickens in an open area to invoke their gods (Bonga). This event is special for the male population of the villages. After a feast of boiled rice with a sacrificial chicken, the village head (Manjhi) announces the beginning of the festival.

Sohrai is traditionally a five-day festival, although in some areas it has been shortened to three days. The date of the festival is usually decided by the village head Manjhi in consultation with the village elders. Jharkhand's Sohariya Khowar painting was given the Geographical Indication (GI) tag by the Chennai-based Geographical Indication Registry. Sohrai was granted the Geographical Indication (GI) tag on May 13, 2020. This tag is awarded to products that have a specific geographical origin.

According to ancient Santhal mythology, Marang Buru (god of the mountain), Jaher Ayo (goddess of the forest), and the elder sister of the Santhals come from heaven to meet their brothers. To commemorate this event, harvest festivals are celebrated, and women decorate their walls with Sohrai art murals. These paintings are believed to bring good luck. It is from this mythological context that Sohrai art originated, which contributed to the rich culture and traditions of India.

The art of Sohrai is considered to be one of the oldest forms of wall painting globally, dating back to the Paleolithic period when similar designs were discovered in caves. This artistic tradition has been passed down from generation to generation, evolving with time. In contemporary times, Sohrai art is accepted as a distinctive cultural expression of tribal communities in Jharkhand and other states.

Another distinctive feature of Sohrai is the tradition of painting the walls of houses with natural colours, depicting animals, plants and scenes of everyday life. The women of the house make these paintings using their fingers, twigs and brushes made of bamboo or grass. The colors are derived from natural sources such as clay, charcoal, rice paste and leaves. These paintings are believed to bring prosperity and provide protection to both the family and crops.

     The vibrant paintings are specially created using natural colors mixed with clay – Kali Matti, Charak Matti, Dudhi Matti, Lal Matti (ochre), and Yellow Matti. Artists use datun (teeth-brushing twig) or cloth swabs dipped in various earthen colors to depict bulls, mounted horses, wild animals, trees, lotus, peacocks and horned deities on the walls. Sohrai painting is considered a symbol of good luck.

This festival is celebrated in honor of cattle, especially bulls, buffaloes, goats and sheep. On the day when people fast for the whole day, earthen lamps are lit in houses, cattle sheds, kitchens and gardens. On the day of the festival, those animals are bathed, their horns and foreheads are anointed with vermilion dissolved in oil. They are given a special meal of rice and vegetables.

        On the last day, the tribals go out in groups to hunt rabbits, pheasants and other animals which are then distributed as Offering of god.