Jharkhand
Manda Festival in Jharkhand
- 15 Apr 2024
- 3 min read
Why in News?
On the last day of the week-long 'Manda' festival in Jharkhand, a large number of devotees gathered on the streets to take part in the celebrations.
- A special person known as a 'Bhokta' stood at a height of 25 feet and showered flower petals on the crowd below.
Key Points
- Tribals celebrated Manda Puja, an age-old annual ritual to appease gods for good rainfall and bumper crops.
- It typically occurs during the spring season and marks the culmination of the agricultural cycle.
- In Chutia region of Ranchi, the Manda Puja Samiti held the festival at the Shiv temple which was attended by Ranchi Municipal Corporation deputy mayor.
- During the celebration, followers participate in walking on fire and suspending themselves upside down from a bamboo structure connected to their backs after observing a fast for seven to nine days.
- A distinctive aspect of the Manda festival is the role of the 'Bhokta,' typically male devotees who observe strict fasts throughout the festival.
- These Bhoktas hold a revered position within the community and play a central role in the festival's ceremonies.
- After Chutia, the festival is observed across the state in 500 locations including in Rajaulatu, Sidroll, Tetri and Hundru Basti.
Tribes of Jharkhand
- The Scheduled Tribe (ST) population of Jharkhand State is 7,087,068 as per the 2001 census, constituting 26.3% of the total population (26,945,829) of the State.
- The Scheduled Tribes are primarily rural as 91.7% of them reside in villages.
- District wise distribution of ST population shows that Gumla district has the highest proportion of STs (68.4%).
- The STs constitute more than half of the total population in Lohardaga and Pashchimi Singhbhum districts whereas Ranchi and Pakaur districts have 41.8 – 44.6% tribal population.
- Kodarma district (0.8%) preceded by Chatra (3.8%) has the lowest proportion of the STs Population.
- Jharkhand has 32 tribal groups:
- Munda
- Santhal
- Oraon
- Kharia
- Gond
- Kol
- Kanwar
- Savar
- Asur
- Baiga
- Banjara
- Bathudi
- Bedia
- Binjhia
- Birhor
- Birjiali
- Chero
- Chick-Baraik
- Gorait
- Ho
- Karmali
- Kharwar
- Khond
- Kisan
- Kora
- Korwa
- Lohra
- Mahli
- Mal-Paharia
- Parhaiya
- Sauria-Paharia
- Bhumij
