Santhal

The Santhal, also spelled Santal, are an indigenous ethnic group of South Asia, primarily inhabiting the Indian states of Jharkhand, West Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha, with smaller communities in nearby regions and in Nepal. They form one of the largest tribal communities in India. They speak Santali, an Austroasiatic language, and now commonly use Ol Chiki script; many also use Devanagari or Latin scripts. They are recognized as a Scheduled Tribe in multiple states.

Traditional life centers on agriculture and forest resources. Santhal society is organized around clans and kinship networks, with rituals and ceremonies led by priests called pahans, and women often playing central roles in harvest-related rites. The traditional religion, Sarnaism, emphasizes nature worship, sacred groves, and ancestral spirits, with major deities such as Singbonga, and festival rites like Karma and Sohrai shaping the yearly calendar. Music and dance, including drum-based performances, are integral to celebrations and storytelling.

Historically, the Santhal are known for the 1855–56 Santhal rebellion against colonial authorities and zamindars in present-day Jharkhand and surrounding regions, led by Sidhu Murmu and Kanhu Murmu. The uprising was suppressed, but it became a landmark in Indian anti-colonial resistance and contributed to reforms in land rights and governance. In modern India, the Santhal of Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, and Bihar are recognized as a Scheduled Tribe. The Santali language was included in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution in 2003, and the Ol Chiki script is widely used for writing Santali.