Supreme Being In Santhal Society

What Supreme Being really mean in Santali Community

The Santals like any other tribes in the world recognize and believe in a Supreme Being who is given a pre-eminent position and is considered to be the 'supreme' among all the religious beings.

The old Gurus are positive that the Supreme Being is not a Bonga but stands above all, remarks P.O. Bodding (1932:324). Traditionally, the Santals referred to 'this supreme deity' as Thakur Jiu( Marang  Buru ). However, the most common Santal term used for the Supreme deity these days is Cando Baba.

The Santals here do not refer literally to 'the Sun itself as most scholars believe but that it is a manifestation of divine activity, an expression of divine love in relation to man.

Thus the East - the direction of the rising Sun has a special significance in Santals Socio-religious rituals and practices. Hence, the Santals face towards the East while worshipping or while taking oaths.

The Santals have a deep faith in Cando Baba or the Thakur Jiu who is considered to be the Creator of the Universe and all that exists in the Universe, and he too is the sustainer.

Cando Baba is a benevolent deity. Referring to the remarks of Kolean, the old Santal guru, Bodding. (1925:1) writes - God is thought to be fairly well satisfied with the Santals and will not distress them except when it may be absolutely necessary.

Being a benevolent deity, the Santals do not worry about him much and there is no specific worship to appease him.

However, he is remembered with the deepest honor during the important ceremonies associated with marriage and death.

He is also called upon as a witness to the solemn oath-takings and is invoked during natural calamities like droughts and famines; in these occasions, a white fowl is sacrificed to appease him.