Sohrai Festival of Kurmi Community in Purulia

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Kudmi /Kurmi community is a dominant settled agricultural class in Purulia, Bankura & West Midnapore districts of West Bengal. They are also in numbers in the adjoining states of Jharkhand & Orissa. However, with the passage of time they have settlement in other parts of Bengal;particularly in Sundarban areas and even spread to Assam and Bangladesh.

Kudmis of Purulia  observe Sohrai in  religiously and merrily . It represents one of the most celebrated festivals in Purulia.  Sohrai is now a community festival irrespective of castes. It is also celebrated by the Munda tribal as well as santhals with the same enthusiasm. However, the manner and customs differ  region to region , local culture  or transformation or infusion of multi-culture gives local specific shapes to the occasion.

In Mundari language, Sohrai means the ceremony of worshipping  the deity presiding over cattle. It is celebrated on the day following the new moon after the Dasai parab. Sohara indicates the 16^th day after the Dasai full moon.  Sohrai coincides with the date of Kali Puja.

In a short, Sohrai represents the bondages between men and animals. It is a festival in the honour of cows  . The festival  has been with the community since time immemorial. No records to its origin are found. There are adages ,mythologies and stories to its origin. A very interesting story I read and putting it from my memory.

The Lord Nirakar Shiva ( Bara Pahar)  created men and provided them with cattle to harvest food with a condition that they will care the animals in a dignified way.  In course of time men  began forget  or rather disobeyed the verdicts . Cattles were put to heavy works round the year, they were subject to beating or ill-fed.  The cattle complaint to the Lord about their miserable position. The Lord promised to visit  the situation in a dark night( Amabasya). The intelligent person informed Lord’s coming in vigilance in advance to the headman. The Headman alerted to fellow members. Thus, before the Lord reached , everybody cleaned their Gosala(cowshed), decorated the cattle-shed, bathed the pets, put Shorai grass on the roof,in the premises, cows were fed with delicious food etc. Just imagine when  a head of the state or a minister visits an institution.  On seeing the arrangements the Lord returned and nullified the allegations.  Again,complaint was raised by the animals. Lord promised to visit the same.. The same results and again complaint lodged. This became a practice and took a regular feature and turned into a ceremony focusing animals.

Sohrai is of three day program. 

The first day is called Newta.  Newta signifies invitation. Newta starts with the Amabasyya. The main function of Newta is called Kachi dewa.  Pradips(earthen lamps) with four vertexs  are made of Atap rice. It is lighted with ghees. These are kept in cowsheds, in front of the doors, tulshi-manch and other useable places.  After a short period when the light is no more,the pradips are burnt in wrapped sal-leaves  and called  pura-pitha-burnt pitha. These are given to the animals and also eaten by the family members.In the mean time the horns of the cattle are rubbed with oil mixed with vermillion and turmeric. During this day, Shorai grass is collected and put on the roof  and doors of the cowshed.  This is as if Lord finds enough fodder in the house.

The second day of the ceremony is Jhahali. Garaiya puja is hold. As Amabasyya ends, the head or his representatives take fast and bath before puja. He goes to the field and bring a bunch of paddy crop on head. While he returns from the field he does not talk with any body, comes silently. After reaching home mariars are built. Mariar is the knitted paddy stalks..these are ornamental like and put on the horns of cattle or hanged on the body of the animals. Again, marries are put on the doors and other important places of the house.

In every village there is a team of Jahali Bula, who rounds the village ,knocks every house ,chants ,dances and blesses the households early in the morning. A seat of worship is marked in the right or east direction. The seat is decorated with ronguli made of atap-dust. The plow, mai,jowals ,kural accessories for cultivation are kept there. Two statues of dissimilar heights are built. They are represented as deities. Deities are decorated with yellow flowers of Sargunja on top.  Garai deity is given pithas.  Cows are also given this delicious items.  The cows are taken for bath. In the mean time ranguli (chokhpura)is marked from the entrance of house up to the cowshed. The cattle enter crossing the chokpura . They are worshipped.

In the evening the village brand team sings and dances and collects revenues for the programme.

The third day is Nimcha. Dhup-dhuna is spread on the cowshed,houses and streets to avoid evil powers on cattle. On this day the cowboy is well fed and rewarded for his service. The cows are stamped with colors.

In the evening Badna parab starts. A bull is tied on a rope and teased with a raw skin to make it furious.  Villagers assemble make shouts,beat drums to see the tolerance and strength of the animal.

This is the normal routine of Shorai.

My Love with Baranti Hills

Every time  I used to halt at a particular spot immediate after Murlu village while going  in law’s home via Santuri and enjoyed the beauty of a hill. The place is almost abandoned. I could not see anybody there ,thus I could not know the name of the hill any way. However, I had fallen in love with it. It's a panoramic view from the road side. Many times I thought to reach there but failed. This time it was unusual, I got a team of Adibasi who were on festive mood. They wore designed clothes. They had turbans on their head. Some of them were in peacock dress. Peacock feathers were glittering from their heads, a large tail was hanging from back.  Traditional musical instruments were on their hands. They were dancing spontaneously. I could not understand their words but feel their mood. Music and dance  drew near to them.

 

“ Is it Dasai ?”-I said

“ yea.”-reply came

-“ From where are you coming?”

They pointed to the hill. “we are staying at Talberia.Have you ever gone?’

-“no”

-“ Go there. You can see the dam. “

I knew  from them that my dream Hill is Bhetti Pahar. The dam is Murardi dam.

I could not check my restraint. I longed for seeing the hills and dam this time. I along with my wife and daughter started for Baranti pahar. We crossed Ambari village then reached to the Talberia-a small hamlet of tribal. Talked to some guys and proceeded towards Baranti. The road was of red mud. There was natural forest all through. The road became gradually rough as we advanced . A time reached when  journey was inaccessible . Panoramic beauty of hills we enjoyed but could not touch them. Turned back from the mouth of Baranti and started  with another route. Again back to Talberia , then came to Ramchandrapur village and  crossed Muradi and finally reached the Dam.

It is a splendid lake. A complete earthen dam. Natural storage of running water from the hills.The dam is surrounded by Biharinath, Baranti, Bhetti and Durang. Water is static here and as clean as sky color. There is no hurly burly. It is quite and calm.  Nobody is there .The place is unexplored and virgin. In a word it is awesome and majestic.

We enjoyed the beauty of Sal,Palash,Karam & neem trees. Saw Pankouri busy for catching prays. Butterflies  moving around.  Flying birds around refreshed our tiring mood. 

Sooner  the sun set down  and we enjoyed it through  the clean water plate.

Good bye Baranti. I will back to you soon.

Unattended Fruits of Paschimanchal: Custard Apple

Arsha block in Purulia is an  enviable seat of agricultural practices, innovative ideas and dry land farming.  Natural endowments are scarce to the region relative to other parts. Undulating ,rolling surface, paucity of water and inaccessibility relative to other parts of the state have given strength to the dwellers to adopt and module livelihood based farming system. From time immemorial they  are growing sugarcane under rain-fed condition.  In the harsh soil they have their own cultivars of Kulthi(horsegram). Last year despite erratic rainfall and drought like situation this crop saved them and their animals.  I saw sagrsuti -a kind of beans grown in the worst soil under worst situation  . Similarly, I have found many of them growing Ginger in the uplands.  Groundnut is also their traditional crop.There are many other crops,trees  suitable to dry tracts you can find in Arsha block or its adjoining areas. However, the zeal of entrepreneurship or business motive is seldom here.
This year I had a visit to some of the villages ,viz; Harmadi, Nunuya, Ghatiali, Goalikocha etc,where my student Biman has been doing excellent jobs in propagating WADI-mission of GVT.  under his able stewardship new orchards of mangoes, guavas etc. are coming up.  While on visiting those, I was struck to sporadic natural grown sitafal. This is locally called Madal. This is nothing but custard apple.  I was fascinated to see the sizes and flesh of these apples. I sat down to the premises of Laxmi Murmu at Harmadi. i asked her;
" how many madal trees are there?"
"three"-replied
"how many do you get?"
She was hesitant this time.  Any way she answered she sold 50 kgs last year. Thus, i came to conclude that 5 fruits equal to 1 kg. and she got 80-90 fruits per tree, obviously she and others have tasted a lot.
This is a unique fruit-crop in the area. This crop is grown in the courtyard of every house there.Commercialization is yet to be developed.
I asked how much price do u receive now. She prompted : "Rs.20 per kg,"
On hearing this Biman whispered " Sir yesterday I purchased @ Rs.60 per kilo."

I said " it is grown unattended and  sold unattended " 

Jitha Asthami- A rural ritual in Paschimanchal

 

It was the early September two years back, I was moving to Deulghata from Ajodhya Hills en route Sirkabad.  The journey was pleasant, the foothill of Ajodhya was greenery; I found upright dense sugarcane plants standing with unique configuration everywhere- I was ecstatic to see the natural beauty stretched along the road , and felt romantic all through  as well. Suddenly I saw queued motor vans, carts and matadors  , farmers hurriedly running ,their faces were not visible,  only  huge sugarcane bunches seen on  head , faces were coved with drooping leaves,  they  were busy in uploading canes  brought from the fields onto  the vehicles. I halted and met some  farmers who were cutting baby sugarcanes .

“What happened? Why are you cutting immature canes? Where will those go?”_ i asked

-“Tomorrow is Jita Asthami.. there is high demand for sugarcane plants. It is better to sell off now at high price.”-quick response came out.

I understood the importance of Sugarcane and its relationship with Jitha Asthami.

Jitha Asthami is a popular ceremony throughout Purulia. It is religiously observed across classes. Jitha Asthami brat is a strict celebrartion..this brat is a ‘Nirjala upabas’- complete fast without taking water or drinking. It is celebrated on the eight day of Aswin (Bengali calendar) for the well being of children. Married women participate in the ceremony.

Fulkumari of Dumurdihi celebrating this fast this year.   Jitaasthami brata starts at the end of Saptami and continue so long astami lasts. According to her, last year it was about 36 hours long fasting, however, the period is limited to 24 hrs this year. I inquired from her whether males could participate  in jita Asthami brata or not. She said “ in case of emergency, males do sometimes..but rare”.

The norms of celebration differs from area to area. Local customs govern the rituals. Normally,the brata as well as puja is held in the premises of household. However, in Dumurdihi, the community joins the festival.  Women in a group come to the Garamsthan (local deity) and put twigs of  karam or bat there.  Odd number of sugarcane plants are put there, it is fastened and  marked with turmeric.   An image of Jimutbahan is made with the kush.   Soaked & sprouted Kulthi, gram, rajma etc. are placed and offered to the deity. The fast is broken with taking mixed sprouted pulses. Cucumber is chewed on the moment of ending fast.

Women observing Brata receive new clothes from their paternal home.  Prasad is sent to relations .

In  Baghmundi, it is a kind of worshipping nature. Differnt types of twigs are planted at the alter of Tulshimanch. Mantras are iterated by Laya.  They recall Ma Durga, Raja Jimutbahan for children’s well being.

In Bishnupur , Devi Durga is welcomed from this auspicious day. Candles in front of the temple are lit in the evening daily till Dasami is over.

In Jharkhand it is called Jitia festival.

I wonder how mothers do  sacrifice and undertake pains for their children.

IND-Festival--A dying folk festival of Manbhum

(IND-UMBRELLA at Matha Pahar,Baghmundi):

It is the beginning of Bhadra-month in Bengali calender. Up land rice in the hilly areas is ready for harvest.  Bhumij- a tribe of  early settler in Chotonagpur plateau  who are  in numbers in Baghmuni, Barabhum, Manbazar and other parts of Purulia would celebrate festivals in sequence. They will perform age long Karam first followed by an another colorful occasion named IND.  The air will be bustled with folk-songs:
" Ind tanre eind othe
Chata tanre chata othe
Ogo kasi tanre basir sabdo"

The IND-flag  is raised in the ind-ground, umbrella is raised in the chata tanre, mellifluous flutes starts ringing in the banks of Kasai-river.  In the Bhumij dominated areas there are specific grounds marked forIND -festival as well as Chata-festival.  On the 11th day of Bhadra, immediate after the Karam festival, IND starts and it is one day event.
There is no history or documents witnessing the start of this festival. Again, there are different opinions on the IND-concept across places.
According to someone, the term IND means " My festival" in Mundari language, It is the festival of celebrating coronation of the king. Chotonagpur was ruled by Munda_tribe long long back. Mangra Munda was a powerful king . When he became too aged ,he desired  to relinquish his chair, and wanted to make Mani Mukut as the successor. On the very day, a royal procession participated by his subjects met in an open ground.  A white umbrella symbolizing  the crown was raised far above amidst chanting,music and merry dancing.  To memorize the historical event, the tribal celebrate ind.. This type of observing is still in vogue in Jharkhand where Mundas dominate. It is now a state level festival in Jharkhand.

Another version is ,ind connotes the name of Debraj Indra, the deity of  clouds and rains, On this day people assemble and seek the blessings of Indra for good rain  for good harvest.  As now, indra puja is done during ind-festival ,the event has become universal and not limited to any particular sect.Both tribal and non-tribal participate in  the  ind-program.
In course of time, Ind festival got patronage from kings,chiefs, zamindars etc. In Khatra, on this day a log of sal is erected traditionally by the Raj-family. The sacred sal is worshipped in the name of Lord Indra. Thereafter, a white flag is hoisted. The white flag symbolizes the tradition of raj0tantra. Worshiping  Indra is still now performed by the raj0family of Jhargram.
Similarly, in Barabhum of Purulia Ind is celebrated in a majestic way.
In Baghmundi, there is ind-tare where festival is held at matha. In kalimati, there are the clans of Dolgobinda Sing, Dinabandhu Sing who represented as powerful Mankis. Mankis were the Zamindars of 12 mouzas or villages. Now Mankis have lost their Zamindari  but did not lose their dignity. The inherited clan still hoists flags and worship lord indra.  It may be mentioned here that the umbrella is raised in convex-shape. This is in contrast to Chata parab where umbrella is raised in normal form by the King.  This is to me a submission to the King  by the Mankis who were subordinates to the King.

However, people of manbhum waits for the the day. This reminds the popular adage :

, " রুয়াঁই খুজে বাতাশ অার, নাড়ায় খুজে ইন্দ।" 

fragments of cotton are floated by air, similarly  the poor floats in Ind.

ind is the merry day to manbhum residents.

Kulthi (Horsegram) in Baghmundi, Ajodhya Hills

Kulthi (Horsegram) needs a relook and special attention for Paschimanchal. In my visit to Matha Jungle in Baghmundi last year I traveled a large  route in the hilly, sloppy, and undulating parts of Purulia. The year was a drought one.  The whole area I was moving did not receive rain for more than two & half months. It was probably the last week of October.  I saw parched lands, dry fields were crowded with herds, there was   little paddy crops anywhere. The entire situation was showing  a drought situation. However, I took a  bit halt at Dhanudi adjacent to Matha forest range and near to Pakhi Hillock- a place of tourism. As I approached to the hillock, I was surmised to see a greenery patches at the bottom of the hills. I got down & went to the field. A stout figure stood there.

“ hey.. what are you doing”?

-“ i ‘am managing my Kurtis”.

“ Kurtis?”

-“ yea.. some one calls it Kulthi”/

“ Where do you get water for farming”

“ you will not get any water-sources here. Kurti does not require water. This is a God gifted crop. “

I was fallen in love with the guy.  I came to know they are farming Kulthi traditionally under rainfed condition. It requires no fertilizer or chemicals. They sow it after rain ceases in September. In Bengali month Bhadra is the ideal time for seeding. Tar lands-the most uplands are covered with this crop. Some of the cultivators who harvest short duration paddy also follow kulthi as a second crop. Kulthi is used as a green fodder.  It is also used as dry fodder after the harvest as like straw. They use it as dal or other forms of recipe.

“How many acres you have planted? How much would you get? “

-“ five bighas..at least 10 mnds i will get.. There is local market for the produce.”

My acquaintance with Kulthi in a most disadvantaged part of Paschmanchal opened a series of questions and options on it. I tried to know more areas under this crop. I had a dialogue with Raghunath Dhan of Baghmundi. He is a young  and serving the agricultural department. He said “ Kulthi is basically favoured by the Mundas and other tribal of the hilly area. This is their alternative livelihood option, especially during drought period. Its production could be improved if high-yielding cultivars are introduced.  “.

In reality this crop is not prioritized in the crop-basket of Government programs. Rain-water Harvest, Integrated Water Management programs and others  may be tagged for extension of this crop. Screening of local HYV cultivars  may be identified, conserved and propagated.  Extension as well as researches on this crop  requires a goal for food security and nutritional safeguards of rural people of Paschimanchal.  We are advocating different kinds of fodder leaving this crop in isolation. We are giving attachment to Maize in hilly areas. Kulthi could be a mixed crop or second crop after maize. In low lying areas, in Bahal or kanali it could be tried as a Pyra crop.

Kulthi could be a good cover crop checking soil erosion. It will also add fertility to the soil.

I met a tribal woman in Sindurpur, Purulia-11. She fervently asked seed of Kulthi. She learnt about it from others in Ajodhya Hills.  I assured but do not know how far I would be successful.

 How do tribal honor this crop I  knew from Bipin Munda of Arsha.

In his words “Kulthi is interwoven with the culture of tribal of hilly tracts.  Mothers after delivery are given Kulthi-drink. This is done in a strictly religious manner.  Parents of the mothers bring Kulthi to her in-laws house, no matter  how far they live. “

Let Kulthi lives in the heart of tribal and in the lands of Paschimanchal.