Gumla: Taking a break from political parleys, tribal communities in rural areas are celebrating two-day Sohrai festival which will culminate in a traditional community feast on Saturday.
In the tribal heartlands of Gumla, Lohardaga and Simdega districts, this festival reflects the significance of livestock in rural economy, even as modern farming methods gradually transform agricultural practices. During Sohrai, tribals pay homage to the deity of cowsheds, Goriya devta, along with their ancestral gods Dharmesh and Goddess Mother Chala, while also honouring the sun, moon, and natural forces that sustain all living beings.
Dr Tetru Oraon, a Kurux language expert from Gumla, explains the ritual's significance: "We begin by cleaning the cowshed and bathing our livestock. The animals are then blessed with sindur on their foreheads and oil on their horns. We offer them hadia (traditional rice beer), rice-rotis, and boiled urad dal. Following tradition, we also consume some of the urad dal to demonstrate the food's safety."