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Ulpahari | |
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village | |
  Ulpahari Location in West Bengal, India Show map of West Bengal Ulpahari Ulpahari (India) Show map of India | |
| Coordinates:24°05′18″N87°39′51″E / 24.0882405°N 87.664280°E /24.0882405; 87.664280 |
Ulpahari is a tribal village inBirbhum district,West Bengal, India.
Santhals are living here for 200 years. There are approx 76 families living here. This village is located inside the forest, and Santhals have realised that they can make a living by selling plates (thalis/"tharis") made ofsal leaves.[1] There is a primary school named "Ulpahari primary school" at ulpahari. It is under "Birbhum District Primary school council".[2][3]
Santhals are mainly anaustric tribe.They usesanthali dialect in their village, but when they come to a "diku" (not santhal) village they useBengali language. They call themselves (i.e. santhal) -"Hor". Ulpahari is a village with poor inhabitants. They have an ancient culture. They celebrate many festivals likeBaha parab,Karam,Bandna etc. Usually they drink homemade wine -Hariya, which made bymahuaflower/rice/yeast/gur etc. at their festivals or daily life.
Shivpahari is a place of Ulpahari. Here an oldshivlingam ofJayadratha is situated. The shivalinga is the contemporary ofMahabharata.Kalapahad had cut the shivalinga into pieces[4]HereJayadratha had meditated for months in front of the four-footshivlingam. His father had given him a boon wherein the one who 'dropped his head on the ground' would combust his head with hundreds pieces. In theKurukshetra battle,Arjuna had cut Jayadratha's head with half-moon shaped arrow. Jayadrath's head went flying and landed on the lap of his father Vridhakshatra, a rishi, who, shocked by the sight of his son's head, dropped it on the ground. He was immediately reduced to ashes.[5]
Residents of Ulpahari are all santhals. They have no temple but have an altar at the village. They even worshipsaraswati,kali etc. Hindu gods. They follow theSarna religion along with Hinduism. They believe atMarangburu, Jaheraera, andManjhi. Santhals pay respect tothe ghosts and spirits like KalSing, Lakchera, Beudarang etc. and have village priests knownas thenaikey and shaman Ujha.Animal sacrifice to the Gods isthe common practice among the Santhals toappease the Gods and Goddess.