Draupadi Murmu: Who Are Santhals? Everything You Need To Know About Tribal Group | Explained
Draupadi Murmu: Who Are Santhals? Everything You Need To Know About Tribal Group | Explained
Draupadi Murmu: NDA has chosen Murmu as their Presidential candidate for the upcoming elections. She comes from the Santhal tribe. Here is everything you need to know about the tribe.
Draupadi Murmu on Friday filed her nomination for the post of President.
New Delhi: On Tuesday, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) named Draupadi Murmu as their candidate for the upcoming Presidential elections on July 18. Given the numbers the BJP and NDA have in the Parliament, it is likely that India will get its first tribal woman President in Draupadi Murmu. Murmu comes from a discreet tribal community of Santhals.
Who are Santhals?
Santhals, also known as Manjhis, are an ethnic group largely concentrated in the states of Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar and West Bengal. According to Britannica, there are over 5 million Santhals in India alone.
Their primary profession is agriculture. However, according to a report by ANSI, they have started shifting to other jobs like coal miners, labourers etc.
Their language is Santhali, a dialect of Kherwari.
Draupadi Murmu’s home district, Mayurbhanj, is densely resided by the Santhali people.
Among all the tribes in India, Santhals have higher literacy.
Originally nomadic, Santhals decided to settle in the Chotanagpur plateau somewhere in the 18th century.
One of the unique rules the community follows is that women are not allowed to weep or mourn the death of anybody, while they are pregnant. Their husbands are also not allowed to take part in the funeral procession.
They are deeply connected to the Damodar river. In case of someone’s death, their ashes are immersed in the river.
Their script, Ol-Chiki, is a recognised script in the eighth schedule of the constitution.
Are there other Santhal politicians in India?
Yes, there are some Santhals at the top-most positions in India.
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