Marang Buru stands as the towering presence in Santal spirituality—literally “Great Mountain,” yet more a cosmic force than a mere landform. Seen as the guardian of forests, rain, fertility and all creatures that roam the undergrowth, this deity pulses through every spring Sarhul festival when village elders call upon Marang Buru to awaken the earth. Cutting trees in its name is nothing short of sacrilege, so even today environmental campaigns in Jharkhand invoke Marang Buru’s protection to challenge mining or logging ventures.

Jaher Era, on the other hand, is the village’s living temple: a sacred grove where tamarind, sal and mahua trees form a green cathedral. Tiny shrines tucked among the roots become altars for kola nuts, rice beer and fresh blossoms. During Karam and Bandna, lanterns dangle from branches, drums echo through the dusk, and generations join hands beneath the canopy—beating the drum of unity in perfect harmony. It’s here that the community’s pulse syncs with ancestral rhythms, inviting minor spirits to bless marriages, births and the harvest.

The beauty lies in how these two pillars—Marang Buru’s vast, untamed energy and Jaher Era’s intimate, communal embrace—intertwine to anchor Santal identity. In August 2023, as the world marked the International Day of Indigenous Peoples, a Santal delegation showcased Marang Buru woodcarvings in New Delhi while hosting Jaher Era workshops on sustainable grove management. Across social media, hashtags like #VoiceOfTheForest began trending, spotlighting a living tradition that refuses to be boxed in by modern pressures.

Rather than relics of a distant past, Marang Buru and Jaher Era keep Santal spirituality rooted to the soil and reaching for the sky. Together they form a blueprint for environmental stewardship, communal solidarity and a profound respect for all life—values that feel more urgent than ever in today’s rapidly shifting world.