santal

The Santal, also spelled Santhal, are an Indigenous, Austroasiatic-speaking community native to the Indian subcontinent. They are one of the largest tribal groups in India, with substantial populations in Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha and Bihar, and smaller communities in adjacent parts of eastern India and in Bangladesh; some Santals also live in Nepal and Bhutan.

Language and script: The Santal speak Santali, part of the Munda sub-branch of the Austroasiatic language family. The community uses Ol Chiki as its native writing system, devised in 1925 by Raghunath Murmu; Santali is also written in Devanagari, Bengali, and Latin scripts.

Culture and society: Traditionally agrarian, many Santals depend on farming, forest resources and seasonal migration for livelihoods. They organize villages around kin groups and clans, with distinctive music and dance such as Jhumar and Domkach. The Santal religious life centers on Sarna, a forest- and nature-based form of worship, alongside practices of ancestral reverence. Major festivals include Sarhul (spring flower festival), Sohrai (harvest festival) and Karam (tree deity), which mark agricultural cycles. Over time, many Santals have adopted Hinduism or Christianity while retaining elements of Sarna.

History: The Santal Rebellion of 1855–56, led by Sidhu Murmu and Kanhu Murmu, was one of the largest rural uprisings against British colonial rule. The revolt was violently suppressed but remains a significant event in Indian anti-colonial history. In the modern era, Santals have participated in regional politics, education and cultural revival movements while seeking recognition of their rights as a Scheduled Tribe.