Sarnaism

Sarnaism or Sarna[1][2][3] (local languages: Sarna Dhorom or Sarna Dharam,

meaning "religion of the woods"), also known as Sariism (Sari Dharam, literally
"sal tree religion") or Adiism (Adi Dharam, literally "original religion"), is the
indigenous religion of the Adivasi populations of the states of Jharkhand,
Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh,
centred around the worship of nature represented by trees. Followers of these
religions primarily belong to the Munda, Ho, Bhumij, Santal, Baiga and Khuruk
The flag of Sarnaism
ethnic groups.

Contents
Etymology
History
Theology
Worship places and rites
Organisations
Demographics
Bibliography
Documents
References A symbol of Sarnaism

External links

Etymology
Sarna means "grove" and it is etymologically related to the name of the sal tree, sacred to the religion, from which also derives
Sari Dhorom ("religion of the sal tree"). A large population of Munda, Ho, Santal, Bhumij and Kurukh continue to practice
Sarnaism.

History
Sarna followers have been organising protests and petitions to have their religion recognised by the government of India in census
forms.[4][5]

Theology
Adherents of Sarnaism believe in, worship and revere God as the creator of the universe who is called as Dharmes, Marang Buru,
Singbonga or by other names by different tribes.[6] Adherents also believe in, worship and revere Chalapachho Devi, the mother
goddess, identified as the earth, nature, and the world tree, symbolised by the sal tree.

Worship places and rites

Sarna temples are called Jaher than or Jaher gar, and can be found in villages, while
worship can be performed also in jaher, or sacred groves. Sal trees are present both
in the temples and the sacred grove. The ceremonies are performed by the whole
village community at a public gathering with the active participation of village
priests, pahan. The chief assistant of village priest is called Naike.

Organisations
Akhil Bharatiya Sarna Dharam (ABSD) Sarna worshippers
All India Sarna Dharam Mandowa (AISDM)

Demographics
Jharkhand — 4,223,500
Odisha — 500,000 to 1,000,000 (estimated)

Census 2011 of Jharkhand and Odisha: 4,957,000[7]

Assam — 1,000,000 to 1,500,000 (estimated)
Bihar — 1,349,460 (estimated)
West Bengal — 1,237,121 (estimated)
Chhattisgarh - 768,910 (estimated)

Bibliography
A. K. Sachchidananda. Elite and Development. Concept Publishing Co., New Delhi, 1980. ASIN B000MBN8J2
James Minahan. Ethnic Groups of South Asia and the Pacific: An Encyclopedia. Series: Ethnic Groups of the
World. ABC-CLIO, 2012. ISBN 1598846590
Kishor Vidya Niketan. The Spectrum of Tribal Religion in Bihar: A Study of Continuity & Change Among the
Oraon of Chotanagpur. 1988.
Malini Srivastava. The Sacred Complex of Munda Tribe (http://www.krepublishers.com/02-Journals/T-Anth/Anth-0
9-0-000-000-2007-Web/Anth-09-4-000-07-Abst-PDF/Anth-09-4-327-07-417-Srivastava-M/Anth-09-4-327-07-417-
Srivastava-M-Tt.pdf). Department of Anthropology, University of Allahabad, Allahabad 211 002, Uttar Pradesh,
India. Anthropologist, 9(4): 327-330 (2007)
Phatik Chandra Hembram. Sari-Sarna (Santhal Religion). Mittal Publications, 1988. ISBN 8170990440

Documents
Oraons & Sarna Religion (http://tribalstuffs.blogspot.it/2011/03/oraons-sarna-religion-part-i.html). Articles On
Jharkhand, Its Tribal People & Tribal Society.
Koenraad Elst. The Sarna: a case study in natural religion (http://koenraadelst.bharatvani.org/articles/chr/sarna.ht
ml).

References
1. Minahan, 2012. p. 236
2. Sachchidananda, 1980. p. 235
3. Srivastava, 2007.
4. Santosh K. Kiro. Delhi demo for Sarna identity (http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130819/jsp/jharkhand/story_1724
5599.jsp). The Telegraph, 2013.
5. Pranab Mukherjee. Tribals to rally for inclusion of Sarna religion in census (http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.c
om/2013-03-30/ranchi/38144883_1_census-format-separate-sarna-religion-code-rally). Times of India, 2013.
 6. Amit Jha (2009). Contemporary Religious Institutions in Tribal India (https://books.google.co.in/books?id=zgLCC
QAAQBAJ&pg=PT121&lpg=PT121&dq=sarnaism+belief&source=bl&ots=HFVmU6A4Fv&sig=ACfU3U3ayOQ6rL
1vjYfRrRWtb2KYBtAWag&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjNhvCAyObiAhVC8XMBHaP5Ad0Q6AEwJnoECDIQAQ#
v=onepage&q=sarnaism%20belief&f=false).
7. Zeeshan Shaikh for The Indian Express: "Fewer minor faiths in India now, finds Census; number of their
adherents up (http://indianexpress.com/article/explained/india-religion-census-fewer-minor-faiths-in-india-now-fin
ds-census-number-of-their-adherents-up-2946824/)".

External links
Adivasi Religion and Society Network (http://www.arsnetwork.org/)

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