Sunlight drapes the paddy fields in gold as drummers summon everyone for Baha, the Santal New Year celebration that usually falls in March or April. Blossoming trees become living altars: branches of sal, mahuwa and mahua are tied to home entrances, symbolizing fresh beginnings. Women weave vibrant garlands from jungle flowers, while men don traditional loincloths and jackets. The air buzzes with “turra-tamâk” drums, their steady heartbeat mirroring the earth coming back to life.

Planting rice kicks off a cycle of gratitude and hope. Before the first seed touches soil, prayers rise to Marang Buru (the great mountain spirit) and Jaher Ayo (the mother goddess). A small platter of rice beer and seasonal fruits rests under a banana-leaf canopy in the courtyard, inviting blessings for lush growth. When seedlings are safely in the ground, a spontaneous dance breaks out—feet stamping in harmony, voices weaving ancient Bandana songs that echo through the fields.

Harvest time ushers in Sohrai, usually around December–January. Homes transform into canvases: white clay and red ochre create stylized cows, peacocks and fertility symbols across walls. Cattle receive special feasts of rice, greens and homemade beer—no beast left out, since livestock and people share the fruits of labor. Under starry skies, torches light up open fields where everyone, young and old, joins the circle dance. Laughter and ululations ring out, a down-to-earth reminder that community ties grow stronger than any single crop.

Between planting and harvest, two more festivals keep spirits high. Karam in late monsoon is all about fertility—branches of the gods’ tree are carried in procession, accompanied by flute melodies and high-spirited footwork. When Jiti arrives, stories of tribal ancestors and heroes come alive in song, binding past and present like the finest silk.

This rhythm of sowing, singing and reaping isn’t merely seasonal—it’s woven into Santal identity. Even today, as modern festivals pop up in city squares from Kolkata to London, those drumbeats continue to call Santals back to their villages, back to soil, back to soul.