Worship Rights on Parasnath Hill

• 12 May 2025

Why in News? 

After the Jharkhand High Court ordered a ban on non-veg food, animal harm, and tourism at Parasnath Hill, the Santhal group Marang Buru Sanvta Susaar Baisi (MBSSB) announced to continue its traditional hunting ritual, citing the hill’s religious importance to Adivasis. 

 Key Points 

• About the Ritual: 
  • The symbolic hunt takes place in the forests of Marang Buru, where Santhals spend a night symbolically hunting (without killing animals), followed by a two-day tribal assembly in a nearby village. 
  • The event is used to address community-level matters and has long-standing religious value for the Adivasi community. 
• The Court Order: 
  • The state High Court directed the State government to enforce a Union Environment Ministry ban on certain activities at Parasnath Hill. 
  • The hill was declared an eco-sensitive zone in 2019, and the Ministry's order prohibits non-vegetarian food, animal harm, and excessive tourism. 
  • The Ministry’s memorandum also halted the State government’s plans to promote religious eco-tourism in the area—an initiative strongly opposed by the Jain community. 
• A Century-Old Dispute: 
  • The conflict over worship rights on Parasnath Hill (Marang Buru) between the Jain and Adivasi communities has persisted for over a century. 
  • The 1911 Census documented a legal case by a Swetambar Jain sect, which reached the Privy Council, where the customary rights of Adivasis were upheld. 

 Parasnath Hills 

• Parasnath Hills are a range of hills located in Giridih district of Jharkhand. 
• The highest peak is 1350 metres. It is one of the most important pilgrimage centre for Jains. They call it Sammed Sikhar. 
• The hill is named after Parasnath, the 23rd Tirthankara. 
• Twenty of Jain Tirthankaras attained salvation on this hill. For each of them there is a shrine (gumti or tuk) on the hill. 
• Some of the temples on the hill are believed to be more than 2,000 years old. 
• The Santhals call it Marang Buru, the hill of the deity. They celebrate a hunting festival on the full moon day in Baisakh (mid-April). 
• Every year, thousands of Jains from across the world undertake the 27 km long trek of climbing the hills to reach the summit. 

 Santhal Tribe 

• It is the third largest scheduled tribe in India after the Gonds and Bhils, known for their calm and peaceful nature. They originally led a nomadic life but settled in Chota Nagpur plateau and migrated to Santhal Parganas in Bihar and Odisha.  
  • They are located in Jharkhand, Odisha, and West Bengal, and are involved in cultivation, industrial labour, mining, and quarrying.  
• They follow an autonomous tribal religion and worship nature at sacred groves. Their language is Santhali and they have their own script called ‘OL chiki’ is recognised as one of the scheduled languages in the Eighth Schedule. 
• Their artforms like the Phuta Katcha pattern saree and dress are popular. They celebrate various festivals and rituals related to agriculture and worship. Santhal houses, known as 'Olah', are easily recognizable due to their large, neat, and attractive appearance, adorned with multi-coloured paintings on the exterior walls.