BAHA
Women, likened to flowers, represent human and natural fertility's interconnection. Santal culture sees human and natural realms as intertwined, comparing life stages to trees.
Baha
Our journey began in 2019
The Baha festival, held annually in the forested Santal villages, marks the advent of spring with Sal (Shorea Robusta) and Mahua (Madhuca Longifolia) trees blooming vibrantly. “Baha” in Santali means flower, embodying the festival’s essence. Its rituals symbolise fertility, uniting male and female elements through Sal and Mahua flowers and straw puppets. Women play a crucial role in invoking blessings from forest deities, emphasising their importance in village prosperity. Santal men and women gather in the sacred grove, invoking gods through songs, some entering trance as Marang Buru, the forest deity. Marang Buru, meaning “great mountain,” is revered with Sal flowers. The festival underscores society’s interdependence with the environment. Rituals such as hunting and predicting rainfall from a clay pitcher highlight the forest’s significance to agriculture and village life.
A perfect fit for your every day life
Designed to be versatile
Santal’s Baha festival takes place in the month of Phagun (February/March), but the day of celebration is not specified. It varies from Phagun new moon to Phagun full moon. The festival occurs on varying dates across villages, allowing relatives to join each other’s celebrations, engage in lively activities, and share rice beer, fostering joyous camaraderie. The festival’s focus on fertility extends to human reproduction, with married women symbolising fecundity. Women, likened to flowers, represent human and natural fertility’s interconnection. Santal culture sees human and natural realms as intertwined, comparing life stages to trees.