Traditional Marital Status of Santal Community

The important phase of life cycle is marriage. In the turning point of life marriage is very much significant in human social life. It is found among the every people of the society. It not only provides to make contact with the other people of the society but also gives an individual a social status. So, there are many rites and rituals are related with marriage. Marriage is socially recognized bonding of man and woman as this term is culturally constructed typically for the purpose of legitimate reproduction, the establishment of family or a creation of new household. So when mating gets social approval and when it controls the relation of a mated pair to each other, their kinsmen, their offspring and society at large, it will be known as marriage. Thus, marriage is the basis of the human society.

Marriage in Santals community is a sign of prosperity and beginning of new life. The institution of marriage is very strong among them. Among them marriage is known as “Bapla”.  Marriage have significant place in Santals society. Santals marriage is private as well as social obligation. Without joyful night by singing, dancing, drumming and playing flutes Santals marriage is not considered. In general there are eight traditional forms of marriage present among the Santals.

1.     Kirin Bahu Bapla

2.     Tunki Dipil Bapla

3.     Kirin Jawai Bapla

4.     Itut Sindur Bapla

5.     Nir Bolok Bapla

6.     Sanga Bapla

7.     Ghardi Jawai Bapla

8.     Dulor Kate Bapla/Upagir Bapla

Out of these eight forms of marriage only three forms of marriage was seen in the studied village.

1.     Kirin Bahu Bapla: Kirin Bahu Bapla is referred to purchase of to be bride from her parent’s home. In Santali family, everyone in family contribute to occupation, which is agriculture. Therefore, each family member is considered to be manpower. To compensate manpower one has to pay certain amount for bride to their parents. It is not considered to bride price but a customs for identify value of bride.

2.     Sanga Bapla: Sanga Bapla is the contract made by the widow or a divorced woman, and widower or the divorced man. Here the bride price is half of the kirin bapla. Society accepts followed by some rituals and customs by more hor (five eminent people of village) villagers, naike and manjhi haram. 

3.     Dulor Kate Bapla: Santal community is open towards interaction to male or female. Any male or female get along and come to common consent of getting marriage. Society accepts such kind of unionism and considered as marriage. It is without the information of parents but, later on parents are being informed by messenger of village i.e. assigned by Headman. Such kind of marriage occurs from haat (village, daily or weekly local market), pata (mela or community celebration of some occasion). There is special function for newly married couple called Tiril-Tarob. Where villagers have rights to ask and clear their doubt about both of them. This custom is done through a representative by manjhi.

                           Case Study on Marriage

Name of the informant: Bhutnath Murmu

      Age: 40

      Sex: Male

Name of his spouse: Halodi Murmu

            Age: 28

            Sex: Female

During the period of my survey about marriage system, I got this case of marriage of Bhutnath Murmu. He is 40 years of age and gets married with Halodi Murmu of Kedoa village about 4 years ago. He provided me the detailed information about his marriage.

Selection of Spouse: The marriage of my informant was a case of marriage through negotiation. The negotiation was initiated by the ‘raibaar’ named Narayan Hembrom to both the families. The raibaar takes the initiative to visit both the families. He talks with Susanta Hembrom father of Halodi Murmu about the interest in their daughter for marriage. After few days girl’s family shows interest and inform raibaar and on that contrary he informs the boy’s family.

Visiting of parents and relatives to each other’s home when girl’s family shows interest in the proposal put up by the raibaar. Then a date of first meeting was finalized, the boy’s father visited the girl’s house with other family members. But before going to the girl’s home it was the duty of the boy’s father to go and meet the jog majhi of girl’s village and then they jointly goes to the girl’s house. If the boy’s father likes the girl then he touches water to show his consent about marriage. After the consent from both the families they convey their decision to majhi in order to get social sanctioned and involvement. The process includes with substantiation by presenting clothes for the bride and groom and this process is known as ‘horoh chinah’.

Fixing of Marriage Date and Ashirbad: After the approval of marriage the final date of marriage will be fixed in presence of relatives of both families, majhi of both the village and other village council members. In case of my informant the process starts after one week of final negotiation. On that very date the bride’s parents with other accompanied members come to the village. On the way ominous sign are strictly noted. If there is a bad woman on their way then they will return back but if the woman is a good they will proceed to grooms house accompanied by majhi and jog majhi of the groom’s village. Then there is the ceremony of greetings and washing of the feet of the guest. After this the aswirbad rituals started which is known as ‘barghar’. Presentation such as dhuti, ring and a necklace was made on behalf of bride’s family as barghar. After that a feast was organized and rice-beer was served to everyone. The bride’s family stays at night and return back after the day of barghar. Again after one week same ritual was performed at bride’s house on behalf of the groom’s family. On that day the final date of marriage was fixed. In case of my informant it was fixed three after the barghar. After the confirmation from both the parents, majhi calls jog majhi and assign him to prepare for marriage. The village council members and the villagers are also stake holders of marriage in the village. Many customs are incomplete without the help of majhi, naike and jog majhi.   

Bride Price (Gonon): The ceremony connected with the paying of gonon is called taka cal. According to my informant for this purpose his father, majhi, jog majhi and other relatives go to the bride’s house. After the salutation and welcome ceremony rice beer is drunk and the gonon is paid. He paid a gonon of Rs.1.25/- to bride’s father. The payment of money is intended as proof of legal possession. A meal is served to all present. Before anyone starts eating the respective ancestor spirits of both families are invoked for the future welfare of the boy and girl.

Invitation and Formalities before Marriage: Invitation to relatives and final preparation for marriage conveyed after conveying decision to majhi. After conveying decision to majhi family members will be relaxed because they know the majhi will take care of the customs and ceremonies. Family members are busy in inviting friends and relatives. First invitation was made to the majhi. The invitation was made with invitation letter and betel nut wrap in sal leaves anointed with oil and turmeric. Before one week of marriage the groom’s family sends some items to the bride’s family in form of good luck. The items are gero thread, five no. of sal leaf cup, grinded turmeric, durba grass, atap rice, yellow sari etc. All these items are sent by the hands of raibaar.

Final Preparation for Marriage: In case of my informant the mandap was prepared few days before the actual marriage ceremony. Before doing so they offer rice beer to their ancestor. Naike made offering of three fowl in the name of jaher era, maranko and marang buru for the happy ending of the marriage ceremony. A hole was dug at the centre of the mandap where three pieces of turmeric, atap rice, durba grass kept in a mango leaf tied by a yellow thread and it was placed inside the hole. A twig of mahul tree was also placed there. Lovely and beautiful designs are made with rice powder mix with water by the female members of the family.     

Turmeric Ceremony: The marriage customs and rituals are performed during the day time. On the day of marriage the jog majhi accompanied by the female members go to the river to bring water in a new brass pot. They carry some items on a kula like sindur, atap rice, oil, durba grass etc. which are used during the rites performed near the river during fetching of water. At the time of return the pot was covered by a new cloth. This purified water was used to bath the groom in the mandap. Female members apply rich turmeric paste on to the body of groom and tied a purified thread to his right hand of the groom. Then the purified water was poured from the pot on to grooms head sliding over the sword. After this the groom is given a bath and anointed with oil and turmeric. The same custom was performed at the bride’s residence also. Lots of singing, dancing and drinking of liquor goes on.

Reception of the Groom’s Party: Before the groom’s party leaves for the girl’s house nunu taka ceremony was performed. The groom’s mother arranges a pot with water and molasses in a leaf cup and his father ties up money in his cloth. They go to the majhithan where the groom’s mother sits, letting her son sit on her lap. He is given molasses to eat. After rinsing his mouth with water, he places a rupee between his lips and puts it in his mother’s lap. Rice beer is then offered to majhi haram invoking his protection during the trip to girl’s house. The raibaaric wife carries the marriage basket.

After reaching the raibaar informs the bride’s party, along with the godet and jog majhi, go to welcome the groom and his party. They are accompanied by some young people dance and sing, shouting insulting remarks about the groom. Rice beer being offers to the groom’s party and relatives.

Marriage Procedure: After reaching the groom is then washed, anointed and dressed in a saffron cloth. Soon after, the groom is lifted on the shoulders of his best men carried to the mandap. The bride joins later accompanied by male members. She is placed in the daura. Both the bride and groom sprinkle atap rice and purified water five times from a brass pot with the help of mango leaves. The sprinkling is said to be very auspicious. The groom is then given a saffron turban. After which groom uncover the bride’s face. He takes a leaf containing sindur and using his right hand thumb applies vermillion on the bride’s forehead. He does this five times. This is loudly acclaimed by shouts of ‘haribol’ and the rattle of drums. Then one of the bride’s maternal aunts ties together the ends of the clothes of the new husband and wife and leads them into the house. The groom’s and bride’s party served by food and rice beer and the enjoyment goes on throughout the night.    

Farewell and Reception of Bride: After completion of the marriage the married couple visits the majhithan of the bride’s village invoking his protection over the couple both during their return journey home. On reaching home the newly wedded couple welcomed by the groom’s mother. This ritual is called ‘boubara’. Then the elders present gift to the bride. During the day the bride wash the legs of majhi and other members of the village council. The ceremony is followed by drinking, singing and dancing.

Nine days later bride revisited her parental home accompanied by her parents and again three days later bride returned to her in-laws house accompanied with groom’s parents. On the very day they perform ‘vivah basar’.
        
                                                  Manoj Raul, Ph.D Scholar,RKMVERI