Santal Women at Madhupur
I had the privilege of witnessing a unique ceremony held on 2nd November, 2001 at Ramkrishna-Vivekananda Ashram, an NGO at Madhupur in the Deoghar district. The head of this residential institution for orphan tribal boys is Swami Nityananda Maharajah. It is a very well organized spacious ashram beautifully decorated with gardens, shrine and prayer halls. The Ashram takes care of special of the guests as well. This ceremony is held every year in memory Sri Ramkrishna Paramhansa who instructed his devotee Mathur Babu when he stopped near this place, to give away the poor Santal women some hair oil, food, and new clothes. So our Maharajah carries on this tradition as a mark of respect to the great saint.
It is unique because in India the higher caste in worshipped by the lower. In many parts the higher castes oppress the lower castes. In many parts the higher castes oppress the lower castes; the welfare programme stands above as the highest form of salvation. Worshipping these poor women who are often neglected by the fast changing urban society, this programme helps us to have a glimpse into brighter side of life: human values that is a dying culture. Swami Vivekananda said: Where are you seeking God, ignoring his living manifestations? He who serves humanity, truly worships God.
This ceremony is an illustration of Swamijis idea of social service as a means of attaining spiritual liberation. The Santals have long been agitating for a separate state for themselves. Only recently their dream was fulfilled with the creation of Jharkhand state with a chief minister from this backward Santal tribe. But the development work for his class has yet to start. The baran or adoration ceremony took place at 11 AM on the extended platform of the temple of the ashram around 11 AM and it took two hours to conclude. Three men of the ashram, Maharajs personal attendant, the students from the ashram conducted it and some visitors were present at the ceremony .
First a few Santals from the villages came but their number did not increase much though it was a distribution ceremony. They were only twenty-one – – a manageable number for the ashram. The women came and sat in front of the temple quietly in a disciplined manner. They were treated in the same manner as we treat honored guests in the house. They were welcomed with incense sticks and flowers and blowing of conch shells. The programme started with the distribution of a set of clothes by Swamiji; then they were requested to go inside the dressing room and apply hair oil. Each set consisted of a colorful sari, a blouse and a petticoat. After having dressed themselves and applied the oil on the head, each was given a fresh rose by a little pupil of the Ashrama. The tribal boys stood behind the seated women with folded hands as a mark of respect and a photowas taken which will find its place in the yearly journal of the Ashrama. They were offered a sumptuous lunch which comprised rice, fish curry of two varieties, rajbhog, tomato chatni, papar, etc. Some women visitors blew conches with ulu, a noise made by whirling the tongue, which is supposed to be auspicious. When Santals were requested to do likewise, they felt too shy to attempt ulu properly. The main food items were served twice, sometimes thrice to the Santal with a touching hospitality of the Ashrama. Even the visitors participated in serving the food. The women were told to eat to their heart;s content but not to waste food. After the lunch each women was given Rs. 22 as dakshina (donation) usually offered to the Brahmin, the higher caste.
Then Maharaj requested the tribals to demonstrate their tribal song and dance. The women felt a little shy at first, then they took some time to decide the song and a tribal boy was engaged to play a drum as accompaniment. He was informed of the beat and then the dance started. After a single dance and song, the tribals willingly danced and gave another performance. During their dance, they were photographed.
The dance followed the typical Santal style: they were moving in chains, i.e., three chains of women were advancing three steps and moving backwards two or three steps. During their forward movment, they lowered their heads and in their backward movement, they raised their heads. While dancing they put their hands at the waist of each other. This was the first dance. During the second round of their dance, they formed a circle. They 21 women stood in a single circle and the diameter of the circle grew bigger and smaller alternately.
Their dance and their songs in soft and sweet voices really fascinated the viewers. After studying the Santals theoretically, I saw them for the first time face-to-face. The dance being over, they went home happily and their lively performance was engraved in my mind. My visit to Madhupur was a rewarding experience.
November 15, 2001
