Cultural Continuation: Santal Rites of Passage in Modern Days

Abstract

Aim: The purpose of this paper is to study the cultural framework of Santal society by analyzing the stages of the rite of passage- separation, transition, and incorporation and interpret the Santal practices of birth, marriage, and death rituals in Jharkhand and West Bengal and to investigate how initiation ceremonies have performed in their society. This paper emphasizes the importance of safeguarding cultural traditions while adapting to shifting social realities.

Methodology and Approach: Using the theoretical framework of Van Gennep’s Tripartite Model, where he talks about pre-liminal stage, liminal stage, post-liminal stage, along with insights from cultural continuity, modernization, and globalization studies. A hermeneutic analysis is employed to interpret the symbolic meanings embedded in rituals and their roles in sustaining cultural identity.

Outcome: The study enhances understanding of how rites of passage function as a vital process for socialization, cultural transmission, and human development. It provides detailed insights into Santal rituals – birth, marriage, and death- revealing their symbolic and social significance. The study underlines the importance of preserving cultural heritage and the traditional rituals within changing social contexts.

Conclusion and Suggestions: Now in modern times Santal identity that face major challenges, so the efforts should be made to involve younger generations in ritual practices so that knowledge and traditions are passed on through lived experience, not only through texts.