Bishnu Sendra Parv(Hunting Festival) #traditionalfestival#climate#indigenousfestival

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A hunting festival called Bishnu Sendra Parv is celebrated by tribals of Chotanagpur Plateau. The indigenous communities participating in it are called Santhal, Bhumij, Munda, Ho, Birhor and Kharia. In a particular date, the men and women of these communities enter the Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary situated in Jharkhand. This sanctuary is spread in an area of 192 km. In the hot month of Indian May, the Sendra Parv’s date is fixed by the king of these communities. He is called Dalma king and is christened the surname Hembrom. He observes executive monarchywithin the community. Before we discuss the hunting rituals of these indigenous communities let us discuss the Dalma Sanctuary.

DALMA

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Dalma is situated about 30 km from the steel city Jamshedpur. Dalma has gotten its name from the local goddess Dalma Mai. This goddess is worshiped by the adjoining village people of the sanctuary.

Dalma is a hotspot for ecotourism.

The river Swarnarekha runs along the length of the sanctuary and gives birth to several scenic waterfalls within the scape. The forests of Dalma mainly are divided into Dry peninsular sal andNorthern dry mixed with deciduous forests. The flora has a varied richness of the climbers, herbs, shrubs, orchids. Some medicinal plants too participate in the fauna list such as Anantmula, Shatavari, Sarpgandha etc. The sanctuary is an abode for Asiatic elephants. The largest number of tourists come with the intention of watching the herds of them from a close distance. Apart from the famous unofficial elephant sanctuary tag, large varieties of wild animals are also found here. Such as barking deer, sloth bear, porcupines, mouse deer, Indian giant squirrels, pangolins, mongooses, wild boar, wild buffalo too can be sighted in the sanctuary.

Domestic birds such as falcons, gray hornbills, paradise fly catchers, magpie robins, egrets, mynas, Indian tree pie, Indian peafowl, different varieties of kingfishers, herons, racket tailed drongo, golden oriole etc can be spotted in the sanctuary. The migratory birds that fly over the various water bodies surrounding Dalma hills from Siberia and other cold countries in November. These birds begin to return from mid-February. Species such as Ferruginous duck, Eurasian Wagon, Red Crested Pochard, Common Pochard, Taiga Flycatcher, and Black Bittern.

The Dalma Sanctuary has no safari but foot trails envelope this shortcoming with higher degrees of grace. The trails are carefully marked by the forest department authorities for visitors to enjoy the natural beauty. A forest guide usually accompanying the wildlife enthusiasts helps them for a thorough understanding and enjoyment.

Sendra Parv Rituals Analysis

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This tradition’s history is undated and has come down from generation to generation. These indigenous communities are Polytheist. The tribes not just of Jharkhand but from adjacent bordering states such as Odisha, Bihar, West Bengal too join them. This occasion is celebrated under just one leadership of the Dalma King.

This festival’s relevance and ostentisity can be understood from the fact that the people beyond their community are invited to partipate and it depends upon the intelligibility of the said person to either participate or skip the event.

The whole ritual begins by a meeting at their King’s residence or any village’s primary school ground or at the courtyard of a village’s temple. A fallen palm leaf[called as gira sakam] is given to everyone whose presence is anticipated in Sendra. This is a traditional tribal invitation method followed till date. More than 10,000 people participate in this hunting festival.

On the first day the cleaning of their temple is completed. Next day, a praying ceremony is observed in the temple. The beginning is marked by gathering around a bonfire to offer prayers to their god Bonga Buru. They sing and dance to their traditional and indigenous songs. The next day, the men and women ascend the Dalma hills with the intentions of attacking and hunting in the Dalma Sanctuary. The hunters do not use modern ammunitions like nets, guns, noose etc.

The villagers take the ancient and traditional weapons like bows and arrows, farsa[ battle axes ], axes, bejar [dagger], lathi-danda[sticks] and enter the forest beating their traditional drums and chanting holy hymns. With these weaponaries they hunt animals like birds to wild buffaloes. After their hunting culminates, the people gather again at some clearing to settle any dispute within the tribal society of the entire region throughout the year. The decisions are pronounced in front of their local god Dehri Baba.

Since hunting is now widely considered illegal in almost every country of the world for the risk of extinction of the endangered and both species who are found abundant, the amalgamation of the motley communities is lessening year-by-year. Every year the forest department runs social and environmental awareness programmes in the local markets and the villages showcasing them the danger of ecological imbalance.

During the time of this hunting festival a tight vigil is observed at the possible locations serving as entryway for them. Use of patrol teams continuously touring the sanctuary to prohibit them from entering the forest. Still sometimes, as they are well acquainted with the area’s nook and cranny, the people sneak through the rough terrain areas to continue this ritual of hunting. Albeit with time those who have understood the urgency of forest habitat equilibrium, perform the symbolic ritual of hunting i.e. after the worshipping, animal hunting is on a rapid rate of decline.