Erok Sim (Sowing festival) of Santhals

Erok' sim is yet another of the agricultural festivals. It is celebrated in the month of Asar (June-July) just before the winter paddy is sown. The day of the celebration is decided upon by the village council.

On the forenoon of the day of the festival, the godet visits each household in the village collecting fowls (sim) and other materials for the sacrificial offering. Then in the afternoon the naeke after the usual purificatory bath goes to the jaherthan being accompanied by the Kudam naeke, the godet, and some villagers.

The naeke sacrifices the fowls one each to propitiate the Maran Buru, moreko-turuiko, Jaher Era and Gosae Era. Another fowl is sacrificed in honor of Manjhi Haram. The Kudam naeke then offers two black fowls - one each in honor of Sima bongas and Bahre bongas.

The spirits through these sacrifices are implored to keep the village free from diseases and to bring rain and festivity to the land, thus enabling them to have a bumper crop. The spirits are also implored to keep the cattle healthy and enable them to increase in number.

After the sacrificial offering, the fowls are cooked with rice and all the people present eat of the sura-jel; however it is noteworthy, the fowls sacrificed to Jaher Era and Moreko-Turuiko are cooked separately and eaten only by the naeke.

After this ceremony, the villagers sing and dance in the kulhi. The following day each household in the village sacrifice fowls in honor of Maran Buru, abge bongas and orak' bongas. After the completion of this festival the sowing of the winter paddy begins.