Rahul

Dipanjali Singh

Editors

Devesh

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“There used to be a huge sakhua gaach [tree] here. People from in and around Hijla village would
meet at this spot and hold a baisi [meeting].
When the British noticed these daily gatherings, they decided to cut the tree…
its blood dripped. The stump of the tree then turned to stone.” 


Rajendra Baski is narrating this centuries-old tale sitting
where the tree used to stand in Jharkhand’s Dumka district. “The trunk of that
tree,” says the 30-year-old, “has now become a sacred place for worshipping deity Marang Buru. Santal (also spelt Santhal) tribals visit this place from
Jharkhand, Bihar and Bengal to offer their prayers.” Baski, a farmer, is the present nayaki (priest) of Marang Buru. 


Hijla village is located in the Santal Pargana division,
outside Dumka town, and has a population of 640 people as per the 2011 Census. The legendary Santal
Hul – an uprising by Santals against British administration – began on June 30,
1855, under the leadership of Sido and Kanhu Murmu of Bhagnadih village (also known as
Bhognadih), roughly a hundred kms from Hijla.

Hijla village is located around the Hijla hill, which is an
extension of the Rajmahal range. So, if you begin walking from any point
in the village, you come back to it after completing a circle.

“Our ancestors used to form rules and regulations for the whole year
there [at the tree],” says 50-year-old Sunilal Hansda, who has been the head of
the village since 2008. The site with the tree stump continues to be a popular place for meetings, Hansda adds. 


Hansda owns 12 bigha
in Hijla, and farms it during the kharif season.
In the remaining months, he works as a daily wage labourer on construction
sites in Dumka town and earns Rs. 300 on the days he gets work. In fact, all of
the 132 families living in Hijla, a majority of whom are Santals, depend on
agriculture and wage labour for their livelihood. The uncertainty of rains has
also increased in the last few years, sending more and more distress migrants
out.

An important fair is also held at Hijla dedicated to Marang Buru.
The annual event held around Basant Panchami in February is organised on the
banks of Mayurakshi river. A <a href="https://dumka.nic.in/hi/event/%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AF-%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AF-%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%BF%E0%A5%9B%E0%A4%B2%E0%A4%BE-%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%B2-3/">notice</a> by the Government of Jharkhand states that this fair began
in the year 1890 under R. Castairs, the then Deputy Commissioner of Santal
Pargana.

The
Hijla fair has been organised every year except for the two years during the Covid-19 pandemic, Dr. Sharmila Soren, professor of
Santali at Sido Kanhu Murmu University, Dumka, told PARI. From bhala (spear) and talwar (sword) to dhol (drum)
and daura (bamboo basket), a variety
of items are bought and sold at the fair. Dance performances are also staged by
men and women.

But with locals migrating out, “this fair is no
longer ruled by tribal culture”, says 60-year-old Sitaram Soren, former nayaki of Marang Buru. He adds, “Our
traditions are losing influence, and other [urban] influences are dominating
now.”

In Hijla village, a fair for Marang Buru

ہِجلا گاؤں کا میلہ اور مرانگ بُرو

మరాంగ్ బురు కోసం హిజ్లా గ్రామంలో జరిగే ఒక జాతర

ஹிஜிலா கிராமத்தில் மராங் புருவுக்கு ஒரு கண்காட்சி

ਹਿਜਲਾ ਪਿੰਡ ਦਾ ਮਾਰੰਗ ਬੁਰੂ ਮੇਲਾ

ହିଜଲା ଗ୍ରାମରେ ମାରାଙ୍ଗ ବୁରୁ ମେଳା

ഹിജ്‌ല ഗ്രാമത്തിൽ, മരാംഗ് ബുരുവിനൊരു മേള

ಹಿಜ್ಲಾ ಗ್ರಾಮದ ಮರಂಗ್ ಬುರು ಜಾತ್ರೆ

હિજલા ગામમાં મરાંગ બુરુનો મેળો

मरांग बुरू मेला: आदिवासी परंपरा मं शहर हावी

হিজলা গাঁয়ে মারাং বুরুর মেলা

হিজলা গাঁৱৰ মৰাং বুৰুৰ মেলা

‘हिजला मेला पर चढ़ रहल बा शहरी रंग’

हिजला गांव का मेला और मरांग बुरू

Dumka District, Jharkhand

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In Hijla village, a fair for Marang Buru

The past and the present come together in this annual fair organised in Jharkhand's Hijla village

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