Cadence and Counterpoint: Documenting Santal Musical Traditions

By National Museum - New Delhi

A Santali musician (1973) by Deben BhattacharyaNational Museum - New Delhi

INTRODUCTION

The Santals are known for their rich seren-enec, or song dance traditions. Music, dance, song and poetry are integral to Santal culture, intimately related to the seasons, festivals and rites of passage. It is said that amongst the Santals there is no woman who cannot dance or sing and no man who does not beat the drum  or play the flute. In intonation pattern, rhythmic structure and metric frame, as well as in underlying aesthetic principles, Santal  music displays very distinctive musical elements. The exhibition documents aspects of the tangible and intangible heritage of Santal music over time, including the remarkable sculpting skills embodied in the musical instruments of the tradition.

Gallery views of the Cadence and Counterpoint exhibition Display of banams with human figuresNational Museum - New Delhi

Musical knowledge is transmitted through a collective oral-aural, participative method, in which memory and tradition are the basic principles. Music skills are acquired by listening and repeating, by assimilating formulary materials, and by participation in a kind of communal retrospection.

Gallery views of the Cadence and Counterpoint exhibition Display of musical instrumentsNational Museum - New Delhi

Over time, different influences and determined interventions from without have affected the form and manifestation of Santal music. But alongside, there appears as well to be a growing professionalism, which may yet create a space conducive for Santal music to survive and flourish as an independent and context-free art form.

Photographs by Deben Bhattacharya (1973)National Museum - New Delhi

THE SANTAL COMMUNITY

The Santal comprise the single largest tribal community in India. Though spread across the eastern states — Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar and beyond — they form a distinct geography and culture. The Santal are best known for their rich traditions of dance and music, especially  the latter, which has influenced mainstream music in India. Their very distinct culture has attracted researchers, scholars, travellers and explorers into their midst, who have brought back Santal stories and objects.

Gallery views of the Cadence and Counterpoint exhibition Display of musical instrumentsNational Museum - New Delhi

SANTAL CREATION STORIES

We come from the Geese: Santal Creation StoriesNational Museum - New Delhi

SANTAL CREATION STORIES

Version 1

Like all tribal communities, the Santal have very interesting myths of origin, or Santal Janam Katha, which depict how the world was created and humans came into being.

This version is from a children’s book, We come from the Geese, Ruby Hembrom (Author) Bosky Jain (Illustrations), Adivaani, Kolkata, 2013.

We are very grateful to Ruby Hembrom of Adivaani, Kolkata, for permission to display this work.

We come from the Geese: Santal Creation StoriesNational Museum - New Delhi

Origin of the SantalsNational Museum - New Delhi

SANTAL CREATION STORIES

Version 2

Jadu Patuas are traditional painters who depict in painted scrolls the Santal myths of origin, or Santal Janam Katha. This version of the origin myth is based on a scroll painting by Jadu Patua, Harish Chandra Chitrakar, and narrated in song by Baul Chitrakar at the Crafts Museum, December 2014.

We are very grateful to Ravi Kant Dwivedi for recording and translating the narration.

Santal Janam Katha (Origin Myth of the Santal)

Many million years ago the universe was submerged in water. Water was everywhere. The Supreme gods Marang Buru, Jaher Era and Sing Bonga decided to rescue life.

Marang Buru brought two cows from heaven. From their saliva two moths were born. When the moths grew, they turned into birds. The two birds kept flying because there was water everywhere and no place to rest. Marang Buru then created a fish, a crab and a prawn, and asked them to bring mud from Pataal (the lowest level of the universe) and settle the mud on the water. But they failed. Then he created the earthworm, which managed to put a small quantity of mud on the water. Marang Buru next created a tortoise, so the earthworm could put the mud on its back. But the tortoise found it hard to keep floating with the weight of the mud. So Marang Buru asked Shesh Naag (the Ultimate Snake) to spread its hood, so the tortoise could rest on it. This is how the Earth was created. The two birds laid their eggs on the Earth. From these, two humans were born: one male, Pilchu Haram and one female, Pilchu Budhi. They were the first Santals.

Santal Janam Katha (Origin Myth of the Santal), contd.

Pilchu Haram and Pilchu Budhi had seven sons and eight daughters. Finding it difficult to raise so many children they went to Marang Buru for advice. Marang Buru told Pilchu Haram and Pilchu Budhi to go to Khararai forest and collect some Bakar (a fermenting agent) to prepare Hanrhiya (rice beer) and call him when it was ready. They made the beer but forgot to call Marang Buru. They drank it all themselves, got drunk and started beating each other.

Marang Buru rushed in to settle the matter. Pilchu Budhi was reluctant to stay with her husband. So Marang Buru decided they should separate. He told Pilchu Haram to take the seven sons and Pilchu Budhi to take the eight daughters. Pilchu Budhi and the girls went to live in Surhur forest while Pilchu Haram settled with the boys at Khararai forest.

Years passed. The children grew up separately and reached adulthood. One day the boys went to hunt and the girls went to gather fruits and vegetables. They arrived at the same forest. The boys saw the girls singing and swinging under a Banyan tree. They started to meet every day and became friends. Soon they fell in love. One day the seven boys married seven of the girls by smearing dust into the parting of their hair. They sang and danced in celebration. The eldest girl, Kanta Budhi did not marry.

Santal Janam Katha (Origin Myth of the Santal), contd.

When they did not return home, Pilchu Haram went out to look for the boys. He reached the forest at the same time as Pilchu Budhi, who had come to look for the girls. The two met after 12 years and recognised each other. They were surprised to discover that their own children, who were brothers and sisters, had married each other. Marang Buru appeared, approved their marriage and blessed the couples. He divided the seven couples into seven clans and asked the eldest unmarried girl, Kanti Budhi, to look after the pregnant mothers and the newborn babies. He renamed her Marang Dei and asked everyone to worship her during the Bandhana festival. The elders gathered to make a code of conduct for the community. They sat on lotus leaves and dictated that there would be no marriages between brothers and sisters or within the same clan.

Time passed and the population increased. There was a man named Gadai Marandi who was very handsome with a brilliant head of hair. He also had a disease, which made his legs swell. A girl from the Kishku clan fell in love with him because of his good looks but when she saw his swollen legs, she refused to marry him. This so enraged Gadai Marandi that he cut off her head. After this the Marandi and Kishku clans became arch rivals and marriage between them became taboo.

Santal Janam Katha (Origin Myth of the Santal), contd.

The myth ends with the ritual of Chakkhudan performed by the Chitrakar, Jadau Guru. When Pilchu Haram and Pilchu Budhi died, they were cremated so their souls could rest in peace. Their siblings went to Marang Buru and asked how the dead might achieve salvation. Marang Buru, who was taking a bath, then created the Chitrakar, Jadau Gugu (Jadupatua), from the rubbings of his body. Jadau Guru was given the task of guiding the departed soul to heaven through the ritual of Chakkhudan.

The journey of the departed soul is made smooth when the family donates to Jadaub Guru, any used objects of the deceased - cloths, utensils, a hen or goat, an umbrella, some money.

On Sohrai festival, the Santals worship cows and bulls as a symbol of gratitude for their contribution to the work on the land.

The Santals used to wear the sacred thread. One day when the seven sons of Pilchu Haram were bathing in a pond, the Dhaimana snake took away all seven sacred threads, which had been left on the grass. Since then, Santals do not wear the sacred thread and kill the Dhaimana snake whenever they see it.

Gallery views of the Cadence and Counterpoint exhibition Display of Banams (stringed instruments)National Museum - New Delhi

BANAM 

A stringed instrument, a bowed mono-chord, and the only Santal instrument to be categorized as a chordophone. The Banam is carved out of a single piece of soft wood and the Chhauni or skin cover is made from animal skin, usually goatskin. In the past, the skin of the Gosaap, a type of monitor lizard, was used. The bow of the Banam is made from a thin piece of bamboo or wood, which  is curved.

Documentation of Santali Musical InstrumentsNational Museum - New Delhi

A traditional Banam is played with the bow held in the right hand. The notes are produced by lightly pressing the index and middle fingers of the left hand on the string or Sadom (made of silk thread). The Banam follows the melodic structures of songs.