Among the many tribes living in India, the largest one is the Santal. Most of them live in the states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Orissa. And even in Bangla desh.

In the past, Santal were nomads wandering from place to place in quest of agricultural lands. ( Indeed, agriculture was and is still their main occupation). Nowadays, their settlements are permanent. But sometimes, a family leaves the village for a new site when there is scarcity of land, outbreak of an epidemic or fear of witchcraft. Santhal villages are big. From 50 to 100 households. Many villages consist of a number of hamlets situated around the main hamlet. Adjacent to each village, there is a ritual place (“jaher” in santali language), a sacred grove where the village deities reside. The Santal decorate the walls of their houses with different colours, figures of human beings, flowers, animals,…

Because Santal are coquettish, men have scarifications on their…