Tribal youths dance to traditional music during the main procession in Ranchi. Picture by Prashant Mitra

Ranchi, March 21: While some celebrate it with their tribal counterparts, some prefer to remain in the city but Sarhul is certainly in the air for the “elite” tribals too.

Cabinet secretary J.B. Tubid preferred to take peetha roti, chilka and dhuska at his native village Parsa in the Majhgaon block of West Singhbhum. “I am here to celebrate Sarhul. After a morning community puja in village sarna sthal, we exchange sal (sakhua) flowers as a symbol of prosperity. Hadia (rice beer) is offered to the deity and consumed by the masses as well,” said the cabinet secretary.

Traditional tribals are guided by nature gods like forests and the sun, moon and earth claimed Bandi Oraon, former MLA and father of senior IPS officer Arun Oraon. “The tradition of rallies and processions during Sarhul in the major centres of Jharkhand was initiated by Karma Oraon — a noted anthropologist and academician of the state,” he said.

Oraon prefers to visit his native village Datia (Gumla district) where he, along with other members of the community, offer puja to the sakhua tree.

Corporate honcho Jayant Jaipal Singh, a senior official with Essar Steel, has plans for a weekend blast, but of a different kind. “I believe the best way to celebrate Sarhul is traditionally. I plan to visit my village, Pakra, during the weekend to be part of the festivities,” he said.

For Gopal Chandra Oraon, former engineer-in-chief of the state government’s road construction department, a visit to the sarna sthal in Karamtoli is “most satisfying”. “Sarhul is a community festival and should not be celebrated individually,” said Oraon who originally hails from the Ghaghra block of Gumla district.

Though E. Toppo, a senior faculty member of Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) is in Mumbai, the Sarhul tradition follows him. “We prepare good food and invite friends. But here the celebrations are not on a large scale,” said Toppo, who hails from Bishunpur.

However, his colleague, H. Beck, who originally hails from Jaspurnagar, said his forefathers celebrated many festivals. “But we do not celebrate any such festival,” said Beck.