WHAT HAS A nest at the top and an egg at the bottom? The riddle was thrown at the bridegroom’s entourage waiting outside the bride's village. The girl's family wanted to have the upper hand before the wedding, and hence the challenge. But their hopes were dashed as someone from the boy's side came up with the answer: “mahua flower”. After having won the contest, the groom's team was allowed to proceed to the bride's house. It was one of the many moments recollected by the people of Rakhadi village in Odisha when THE WEEK team visited them. The entire population of Rakhadi is Santhal. Riddles form an important part of Santhali customs, especially during weddings. “If the groom's team fails to answer, they will have to accept defeat publicly. The bride’s side will then gracefully welcome them,” said a villager.
Santhals are spread across Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Assam and Bihar. They are proud of their rich culture and they prefer to live in the lap of nature. To get a ringside view of the Santhal way of life, we spent a day at Rakhadi, nestled in the lush green mountains of Mayurbhanj district.
This story is from the July 31, 2022 edition of THE WEEK India.
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This story is from the July 31, 2022 edition of THE WEEK India.
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