PM Modi tweets in Santali on Hul Diwas. Know the language's origin and importance
At the turn of the 21st century there were approximately 6 million speakers of Santali, some 4.8 million of whom lived in India, more than 150,000 in Bangladesh, and about 40,000 in tea districts in Nepal.In India more than 2 million Santals lived in Jharkhand, nearly 2 million in West Bengal, several hundred thousand in Orissa, and about 100,000 in Assam.Unlike many tribal tongues, Santali has its own script, known as Ol Chiki, created in 1925 by Pandit Raghunath Murmu.Before that, the language had no indigenous script and was often written using Devanagari, Bengali, or Latin characters.Ol Chiki changed that, providing a written identity that helped preserve the language and fuel a cultural revival.advertisementSantali includes a northern and a southern dialect. It is the major member of a sub-group of the Kherwarian branch of North Munda.Kherwarian also includes Mundari and Ho, each with about one million speakers. Santali is an official scheduled language of India.WHAT IS HUL DIWAS?Hul Diwas is being observed today to pay tribute to the sacrifices made by the Santhal people in their fight for freedom and justice against the British East India Company.This rebellion, also known as Santhal Hul, which began on June 30, 1855, was a significant uprising against the oppressive policies of the British colonial rule and the exploitation by moneylenders.The Santhals, led by Sidhu and Kanhu Murmu, along with their sisters Phulo and Jhano, mobilised a large number of tribal youth to fight for their rights and against the injustices they faced.This rebellion was a pivotal event in India's freedom struggle and is remembered for its grassroots leadership and impact on tribal rights.While the rebellion was ultimately suppressed, it led to the enactment of the Santhal Parganas Tenancy Act of 1876 and the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act of 1908, which aimed to safeguard tribal land rights and cultural autonomy.The Santhal Hul is considered a crucial precursor to the broader anti-colonial movement in India, inspiring later tribal revolts and contributing to the narrative of self-determination among indigenous populations.- Ends
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