BARIPADA: IT is that time of the year again when Santhal tribal community of Mayurbhanj comes together to celebrate the harvest festival, Sohrai. Diwali marks the beginning of four-day festival, which also known as Bandhna.The festival will begin on Thursday with ‘Goth Puja’ during which rice is worshipped by villagers. They collect cow dung, sun-dried rice, vermilion, mithi (a kind of spice), rice powder and all these are placed in a winnow which is taken in a procession to Goth (grazing ground of cows). The priest then offers prayer on behalf of the community.
Later, the rice is offered to ‘Maran Buru’ and other tribal deities. A community feast follows at the Goth for which the priest prepares a dish with sacrificed fowls. In the evening, cattle are taken to the Goth.
They then let the cattle loose at the venue for the feast and owner of the cow that feeds on the leaf plate used by the priest, is considered the lucky one. He is asked to supply a pot of handia (rice beer) for next year’s festival and is crowned as hero of the community who is blessed with good cattle and harvest.
On second day, fowls and pigs are sacrificed at the altar of Goddess Kali. The rituals include washing of agricultural equipment and anointing them with rice powder and vermilion. The animals scarified are cooked and eaten by tribal families. In the evening, tribals assemble near Akhara (village yard) to sing and dance. The third day is devoted to cattle sports.
A ritual ‘Jale Hilok’ is observed on the fourth day when Majhihardam (village head) goes around the village telling people that Sohrai is over. A week later, he calls the villagers to his house and offers them rice beer. It is called as Chatiar Handi which marks the end of the festival.