When is Sarhul?
Sarhul is a regional public in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand on Chaitra Shukla Tritiya, the third day of the waxing moon (after the new moon) in the Hindu month of Chaitra which usually means it falls in March or April in the western calendar.
This is the traditional new year (Sar -
Traditions of Sarhul
In this unique and important festival, festivities revolve around the sal tree. Sarhul literally means "worship of sal".
The Sal tree (Shorea robusta) is the most important source of timber in Jharkhand and its leaves are used to make bowls in which offerings are made to deities during festivals.
At the start of spring, the tree flowers and new growth begins. In a tradition that stretches back over 2,000 years, this flowering has been the trigger for villagers to offer prayers to the village God, the protector of the tribe.
The Saal flowers are used for the worship of the deity during Sarhul. On the eve of the festival, the Pahan (village priest) fills three new clay pots with water.
After bathing early in the morning, the priest checks the water level inside the earthen pots. If the water level has dropped, that is a sign of famine or less rain. If the water is about the same level, it indicates that there will be plenty of rain during the growing season.
Sarhul is an important festival of the Oraon, the Munda and the Ho tribes. Another larger tribe of Jharkhand, the Santals also celebrate the festival as the "festival of flowers".
