Sadan peoples

Indo-Aryan Ethno-linguistic groups of Jharkhand

Ethnic group

Sadan peoplesRegions with significant populations

Chota Nagpur Plateau (Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West Bengal and Bihar)
Languages

* Nagpuri
* Khortha
* Kudmali/Kurmali

Religion
Predominantly:

* Hinduism
* Ethnic religion
* Folk religion

Minorities:

* Christianity
* Buddhism
* Islam

Related ethnic groups
Indo-Aryan peoples

The Sadan people are the native Indo-Aryan-speaking ethnolinguistic groups of the Chota Nagpur Plateau, mainly within the Indian state of Jharkhand and neighboring states, who speak Nagpuri, Khortha, and Kurmali as their first languages.[1][2][3][4]

## Definition

[edit]

Sadan refers to Indo-Aryan speaking ethnic groups of Jharkhand who speak Nagpuri, Khortha, and Panchpargania. In the Nagpuri language, Sadan refers to settled people or those people who live in houses.[5] Sadan are those who have settled in the region. According to Bisheshwar Prasad Keshari, the original form of these languages must have developed within different Nagjati.[6] According to Ram Dayal Munda and S Bosu Mullick, the category Sadan was used in the estate of Nagvanshi kings of Chotanagpur. The Sadan people settled in Chotanagpur much before the British Period.[7][8]

During the British Period, Colonel Edward Tuite Dalton referred to Sadan as Sudh or Sad or Sudhan in his work Descriptive Ethnology of Bengal in 1872. During the British Period, the Sudh and Sudhan included all castes, such as Brahmin, Rajput, Gowala, Kurmi, Kahar, Kyastha etc. The word Sudh means pure.[9] During British Period, local Hindus were referred to as Sudh or Sudhan in Chotanagpur.[10]

## History

[edit]

The Chota Nagpur plateau region has been inhabited since the Neolithic period. Several stone tools and microliths from the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods were discovered in this region.[11] There are ancient cave paintings in Isko, Hazaribagh district, from the Meso-chalcolithic period (9,000-5,000 BC).[12]

It is believed that Sadan people arrived in Chotanagpur sometime after Aryan came to South Asia.[8] During 2nd millennium BCE the use of Copper tools spread in Chota Nagpur Plateau and these find complex are known as the Copper Hoard Culture. There are many Copper tools have discovered in Chota Nagpur plateau. According to many historians Copper hoard people were early Aryan, who came to South Asia before Vedic Aryan. Copper hoard people reached Chota Nagpur around early 2nd millennium BCE.[13] In the Kabra-Kala mound at the confluence of the Son and North Koel rivers in Palamu district, various antiquities and art objects from the Neolithic to medieval periods have been found; the pot-sherds of redware, black and red ware, black ware, black slipped ware, and NBP ware are from the Chalcolithic to late medieval periods.[14] Iron slag, microliths, and potsherds from 1400 BCE, according to carbon dating, were discovered in Singhbhum district.[15]

During the late Vedic period, several janapadas emerged in northern India. Several Nishada kingdoms probably existed in Jharkhand during that time. In the 6th century BCE, the mahajanapadas emerged in several parts of the Indian subcontinent. Some parts of present-day Jharkhand were parts of the Magadha and Anga mahajanapadas. In the Mauryan period, this region was ruled by a number of states, collectively known as the Atavika (forest) states. These states accepted the suzerainty of the Maurya empire during Ashoka's reign (c. 232 BCE). During the medieval period, the Nagvanshi, Ramgarh Raj, and Chero dynasties were ruling this region. The Mughal influence reached this area during the reign of Emperor Akbar when it was invaded by Raja Mansingh in 1574. There was several invasion during Mughal rule.[16] Influence of the British East India Company reached this region in the 18th century. Raghunath Mahato led a revolt against the East India company in the Jungle Mahals in 1769. Thakur Vishwanath Shahdeo and Pandey Ganpat Rai led rebels against the East India company in the 1857 Rebellion. Tikait Umrao Singh, Sheikh Bhikhari, Nadir Ali, Jai Mangal Singh played pivotal role in Indian Rebellion of 1857.[17]

After independence this region became parts of Bihar state. Separate state Jharkhand was initially a tribal demand which was led by Christian tribal leaders. But the movement failed as tribal were in minority. In 1955, prominent tribal leader Jaipal Singh Munda submitted a memorandum to States Reorganization Commission for a separate Jharkhand state comprising the tribal area of South Bihar, but it was rejected because there were many languages, no link language in the region, Hindustani was majority language, tribal were in minority.[18] In 1970s non-tribal Sadan also joined the separate state movement which strengthen the movement which resulted in formation of new state Jharkhand.Lal Pingley Nath Shahdeo, Lal Ranvijay Nath Shahdeo have prominent role in formation of separate state Jharkhand.[19] In November 2000, the new state of Jharkhand separated from Bihar, comprising Chota Nagpur Division and Santhal Pargana Division.[20]

According to President of Sadan organization Moolvasi Sadan Morcha Rajendra Prasad, the state of Jharkhand was formed for development of Jharkhandi but vision to form Jharkhand have deviated. The Sadan people have no reservations. The Sadan people are marginalized in their own state and government of Jharkhand has decepted Sadan.[21]

## Castes and communities

[edit]

Various Sadan community and Castes are Ahir/Gowala, Bhogta, Bhuiya, Baraik, Dom, Ghasi, Jhora, Kewat, Rautia, Brahmin, Bhumihar, Nagvanshi, Dhanuk, Paika, Dhobi/Baghwar, Karmali, Koeri, Kumhar, Kurmi, Sonar, Mali, Chamar, Lohra, Mahli, Tanti, Teli, Rajput and Bania etc. among others.[22][5][23]

## Culture

[edit]

### Language

[edit]

Sadan people traditionally speak Nagpuri, Khortha, Panchpargania and Kurmali language as their native language which are classified as Bihari language. Recent study suggest that Indo-Aryan languages of Chota Nagpur plateau known as Sadani languages are closely related to each other than any other languages.[24] Nagpuri is spoken as a link language. After formation of Jharkhand, there was an attempt to develop a common local language for official use and replace Hindi but the attempt failed.[20]

### Festival

[edit]

Some important festivals of Sadan are, Ashadhi Puja, Karam, Jitiya, Nawakhani, Sohrai/Diwali, Surjahi Puja, Makar Sankranti, Fagua and Sarhul.[25][5][26]

### Folk dance

[edit]

Jhumair is a common folk dance of Sadan. Paiki is Nagpuri martial folk dance. Chhau is another folk dance prevalent in the Kurmali-speaking region. Akhara is a village ground where people dance.[25]

Chhau Dancers in Jharkhand village

### Religion

[edit]

Sadan people worship Suraj (Sun), Chand (Moon), Gramadevata, Karam Devta (Tree spirit) in various festival which is usually performed by head of family in home and village priest in village known as "Pahan". Gram than or Sarna is place of worship of village deity. Village priest Pahan perform sacrifice for good harvest in sarna.[27] Sadan people follow folk Hinduism which is different from vedic religion and is non-vedic culture prevalent since Chalcolithic period.[28]

### Clothing

[edit]

Traditional dresses of Sadan are Dhoti, Sari, gamchha, Kurta, Chadar etc. In modern times they also wear Western clothes.[5]

### Livelihoods

[edit]

Traditionally most Sadan are farmers. Some Sadan community traditionally do works to make items of daily uses such as Pottery, weaving clothes, Iron smeltings, bamboo works etc. Additionally they were practicing hunting animals during old days.[5]

A Potter making diya in Chaibasa, Jharkhand

## Notable people

[edit]

* Satyanand Bhogta, Minister for labour
* Girdhari Ram Gonjhu, scholar
* Deepika Kumari, International Archer
* Deepak Lohar, Actor
* Mahavir Nayak, Folk Singer
* Mukund Nayak, Folk Artist
* Amba Prasad, politician
* Nikki Pradhan, Hockey Player
* Aditya Sahu, MP of Rajya sabha
* Dhiraj Prasad Sahu, Politician
* Shiv Prasad Sahu, Politician
* Bakhtar Say, Freedom fighter
* Durjan Shah, Nagvanshi King
* Raghunath Shah, Nagvanshi King
* Ani Nath Shahdeo, King of Barkagarh
* Lal Chintamani Sharan Nath Shahdeo, Last Nagvanshi king
* Lal Pingley Nath Shahdeo, Jurist
* Lal Ranvijay Nath Shahdeo, Lawyer, Writer and Political activist
* Vishwanath Shahdeo, Freedom fighter
* Basant Narain Singh, Politician
* Dalel Singh, King of Karnpura
* Kamakhya Narain Singh, King of Ramgarh
* Madhu Singh, Nagvanshi king
* Mundal Singh, Freedom fighter
* Tikait Umrao Singh, Freedom fighter

## Notes

[edit]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Savita Kiran, John Peterson. "Sadani / Sadri". academia.edu. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
2. ^ Tillin, Louise (October 2013). Remapping India: New States and their Political Origins. Hurst Publishers. ISBN 9781849042291. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
3. ^ Tiwari, Lalan (1995). Issues in Indian Politics. Mittal Publications. ISBN 9788170996187. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
4. ^ "JHARKHAND: March To Extreme Tribalism?". www.southasiaanalysis.org. Archived from the original on March 1, 2013. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
5. ^ a b c d e Manish Ranjan (2022). JHARKHAND GENERAL KNOWLEDGE 2021. Prabhat Prakashan. ISBN 9789354883002.
6. ^ Ranjan, Manish (19 January 2021). JHARKHAND PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION PRELIMS EXAMS COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE PAPER-I & PAPER-II. Prabhat Prakashan 2021. ISBN 978-9390906321. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
7. ^ Ram Dayal Munda, S Bosu Mullick (2003). "Jharkhand movement" (PDF). p. vii. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
8. ^ a b Vinay Sinha. Jharkhand Digdarshan. Arihant Publications India limited. p. 183\. ISBN 9352032217. Retrieved 6 April 2022. `{{cite book}}`: `|website=` ignored (help)
9. ^ Bipin Bihari Sinha (1942). Society in Tribal India. B.R. Publishing Corporation. p. 2\. ISBN 9780865901087. `{{cite book}}`: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
10. ^ Ranjit Prasad Singh (2010). Personality Of Tribal And Non-Tribal School Children. Discovery Publishing House. p. 17\. ISBN 978-8171414178.
11. ^ periods, India-Pre- historic and Proto-historic (4 November 2016). India – Pre- historic and Proto-historic periods. Publications Division Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. ISBN 9788123023458. Retrieved 17 February 2019 - via Google Books.
12. ^ "Cave paintings lie in neglect". The Telegraph. 13 March 2008. Archived from the original on September 6, 2018.
13. ^ Yule, Paul (8 January 2019). "Addenda to "The Copper Hoards of the Indian Subcontinent: Preliminaries for an Interpretation"". Man in Environment. 26: 117–120\. doi:10.11588/xarep.00000510. Archived from the original on 5 March 2021. Retrieved 18 March 2021 - via crossasia-repository.ub.uni-heidelberg.de.
14. ^ "KABRA – KALA". www.asiranchi.org.
15. ^ Singh, Upinder (8 September 2018). A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century. Pearson Education India. ISBN 9788131711200. Retrieved 17 February 2019 - via Google Books.
16. ^ "History". Latehar.nic.in.
17. ^ "JPCC remembers freedom fighters Tikait Umrao Singh, Sheikh Bhikari". news.webindia123.com. Archived from the original on 2019-05-04. Retrieved 2019-05-04.
18. ^ Aaku Srivastava (2022). Sensex Of Regional Parties. Prabhat Prakashan. p. 251\. ISBN 978-9355212368.
19. ^ Vinay Kumar Srivastava (2020). India′s Tribes Unfolding Realities. SAGE Publishing India. p. 212\. ISBN 978-9353886608.
20. ^ a b Gautam Kumar Bera (2008). The unrest axle: ethno-social movements in Eastern India. Mittal Publications. pp. 32–34\. ISBN 978-81-8324-145-8. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
21. ^ "झारखंड में मूलवासी-सदान हाशिए पर : राजेंद्र". bhaskar. 2019. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
22. ^ "1 Paper for 3 rd SCONLI 2008 (JNU, New Delhi) Comparative study of Nagpuri Spoken by Chik-Baraik & Oraon's of Jharkhand Sunil Baraik Senior Research Fellow". slideplayer.com.
23. ^ Jewitt, Sarah (31 July 2019). Environment, Knowledge and Gender: Local Development in India's Jharkhand. Routledge. ISBN 978-1351729895. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
24. ^ Paudyal, Netra P.; Peterson, John (2020-09-01). "How one language became four: the impact of different contact-scenarios between "Sadani" and the tribal languages of Jharkhand". Journal of South Asian Languages and Linguistics. 7 (2): 275–306\. doi:10.1515/jsall-2021-2028. ISSN 2196-078X.
25. ^ a b "talk on nagpuri folk music at ignca". daily Pioneer.com.
26. ^ Know Your State Jharkhand. Arihant Experts. 2019. p. 316\. ISBN 978-9324190888. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
27. ^ "बख्तर साय मुंडल सिंह के बताए राह पर चलें". bhaskar. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
28. ^ June McDaniel "Hinduism", in John Corrigan, The Oxford Handbook of Religion and Emotion, (2007) Oxford University Press, 544 pages, pp. 52–53 ISBN 0-19-517021-0