March 20, Sunsari – The Uraon community, residing in the district headquarters of Inaruwa and various other locations, joyfully celebrated the Sarhul festival on Saturday.
Members of the Uraon community from Inaruwa, Koshi, Bhokraha, Harinagar, Ghadi, and surrounding areas observed this year’s Sarhul festival together.
Ramkisun Uraon, a respected leader of the community known for their nature worship traditions, reported that they gathered collectively at the Sarna site in Inaruwa-8 to observe the festival according to their religious rites. He highlighted that Sarhul is the most significant and grand nature festival for their community.
He also mentioned that the festival is traditionally celebrated on the third day of the bright lunar fortnight in the month of Chaitra.
During the festival, people assemble at the Sarna site where the Sal and Karam trees stand, engaging in worship. The celebration marks the beginning of the new year, commemorating the arrival of fresh blossoms.
The community elders explained that new fruits and crops are only consumed after offering them as prasad to their ancestral deities, a tradition upheld to honor their culture.
During the ritual, priests expressed gratitude towards the earth, forests, water, and ancestral gods while praying for the community’s well-being, peace, and prosperity. Participants adorned traditional attire while performing the ceremonial worship. – RASAS
