Parasnath Hills Dispute: Understanding the Ongoing Conflict Between Jains and Santhals:

Suspense crime, Digital Desk : The Jharkhand High Court has directed the state government to deploy additional home guard constables at Parasnath Hills in the Giridih district. This measure is aimed at curbing the unauthorized hunting of meat and the littering of garbage.

Background of the Dispute

Parasnath Hills is a holy place for the Jains and Santhals, but they contain different beliefs and do customs themselves; thus, their co-existence has always been problematic. For Jains, the place is considers as Sammed Shikharji, which is one of their best pilgrimage spots. For Santhals, the hills are Marang Buru his highest God and the place where he performs traditional rituals.

Jain Beliefs About the Hills

Jains strongly believe that Parasnath Hill is where 22 out of 24 Tirthankaras of Jainism liberated their souls. Each has a shrine on the hill. Trekking to and from the hill’s summit is part of the pilgrimage. Some are over 2,000 years old.

Santhal Beliefs and Practices

Santhal worship Marang Buru as a sacred hill where they celebrate a hunting festival every full moon in the month of Baisakh (April).It is one of the most important places of worship. Rituals and tribal councils like the Lo Bir Baisi for settlement of disputes among people also take place there.

How the Conflict Started

Disputes remarkably stem from the British period. A Jain opposition to some activities near the hill was recorded in 1911. Their attempts to enjoin the Santhal hunting ceremony Sendra failed. The court sided with the Santhals, now the custom was here to stay.

Impact of Independence and Laws

In 1978 the area was proclaimed as a sanctuary after the Wildlife Protection Act 1972. This curtailed certain rituals of the Santhals. Ajay Tudu, a Santhal activist who sought to relieve these restrictions, was murdered in 2008.

Regionally, all non- vegetarian food and alcohol was banned by the government in 2023 within 25 Kilometers of the hill. This collided with the school’s meal choices for pupils in the area.

Present Scenario

2023 saw the Santhals continue to celebrate the Sendra festival despite the restrictions. Order now needs to be maintained by the state especially after the latest direction from the High Court.