Administrator
18 August 2025
*Pictures show tonsured Chief Minister Hemant Soren immersing the ashes of his father Shibu Soren who is revered by many tribals as Guruji or Dishom Guru
By immersing the ashes of Shibu Soren in the Damodar river, flowing out of a water fall of a pilgrimage centre Rajrappa, in Ramgarh district in Jharkhand,on Sunday( August 17,2025), his son and Chief Minister Hemant Soren has brought into light an emerging path to reform of one of ancient death rituals of tribals.
Sorens belonged to Santhal community of tribals. Most of Santhals are now following a new path to reform of one of their ancient death rituals. And it all comes down to the 2.5-metre cloth people offer at cremation.
The practice of immersion of ashes of the deceased in the river is not rooted in the Santhal tradition with roots in mythology and spiritual beliefs. Hover, it is believed to help the soul's transition after death, facilitating its journey towards liberation (Moksha).
The Damodar is revered as a holy river, and its waters are believed to have the power to cleanse sins and purify the soul.
Historically, Jharkhand's tribal communities have rich and varied death beliefs and practices, often intertwined with their unique cultural and spiritual traditions. Megalithic traditions, particularly the erection of sasandiris (dolmens over cremated bones), are a prominent feature, though burial and cremation are both practiced depending on the tribe and circumstances.
These burial and cremation practices often involve elaborate rituals, including calling the spirit back to the house and secondary funerals, sometimes years later, when megaliths are erected.
And both burial and cremation are practiced, with burial being more common in some areas like Khunti and the southern part of Ranchi district where Munda tribe dominate, while cremation is more prevalent elsewhere including Santhal Pargana division where Sathals dominate.
Rituals like calling the spirit back to the house, smearing bones with turmeric and vermilion, and ceremonial bone burial are common among tribal communities.
Incidentally, tribes have diverse beliefs about the afterlife, with some envisioning a blissful existence, others a spiritual consciousness, and some a state of peace beyond desires.
Thousands of people attended the funeral of 82-year-old Shibu Shibu Soren, who passed away on August 4, after a prolonged illness in the Sir Ganga Ram hospital.
He was cremated on the cremation land near his village Nemra, in Ramgarh district of Jharkhand. What remains today( August 18,2025) at his ancestral village Nemra are his pictures from the fire that was set to the huge heap of shrouds people had donated during the last rites.
According to the Santhal tribe’s culture, everyone must bring a 2.5-metre shroud to show respect for the dead. While these shrouds should be burnt with the dead, the quantity was so much that people ended up burning them near the cremation site after having spent Rs 50-200 to buy them. The age-old ritual connected with burial of Santhal tribals, however, is on the verge of extinction.
Scores of people from the Santhal community had gathered in Maa Chhinnamastika Mandir
and offered prayer to the departed soul of Shibu Soren whom many called as their Guruji or Dishom Guru.
Many of them yelled,” Veer Dishom Guruji Shibu Soren Amar Rahe!Veer Dishom Guruji Shibu Soren Zindabad! Jai Jharkhand!”
The Chief Minister Hemant Soren who had tonsured himself while performing rituals on the day of Shradh on August 16,2025. He immersed the ashes in the water of Damodar river while bowing his shaved head and face down,sprinkled the water uttering “ Johar Baba…( Salute father).
