Marang Buru, also written Maran Buru; ( Santali:ᱢᱟᱨᱟᱝ ᱵᱩᱨᱩ) is a supreme deity of

Santal The Santal (or Santhal) are an Austroasiatic languages, Austroasiatic-speaking Munda peoples, Munda ethnic group of the Indian subcontinent. Santals are the largest tribe in the Jharkhand and West Bengal in terms of population and are also found ...

, Bhumij, Ho and Munda tribes residing in

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. This creator is variously called Marang Buru (meaning "Supreme Deity" or literally "The Great Mountain") and is regarded as the "cause of all causes," making the tribal religion deeply monotheistic as well as pantheistic. It is a hill, which is considered a deity by the Santals.

Worship and Rituals

Marang Buru doctrines are found in the both Sarna Dharam and

Sari Dharam Sari Dharam is the religion of the Santal people residing in India. It is one of the religious beliefs in the eastern regions of Indian states such as Jharkhand, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, and Assam. However, Santals also practice Sarnaism. De ...

. The deity is worshipped by tribal priests known as ''Naike'' among the

, ''Laya'' or ''Deuri'' among the Bhumij, ''Pahan'' among the Munda, and ''Dehuri'' among the Ho tribes. The local hills and mountains positioned below the supreme hill deity, Marang Buru.

Scriptures

The worship and holy hymns praising Marang Buru have been compiled in ''Kherwal Bonso Dhorom Puthi'' by

Majhi Ramdas Tudu Majhi Ramdas Tudu (also known as Majhi Ramdas Tudu Reska) (c. 1854—1951) was a Santhali writer and educator. He is the most notable writer in the early period of Santhali literature. He wrote a book on the traditional Santhal rituals, named '' ...

, ''Jomsim Binti Itikatha'' by Somai Kisku, ''Karam Binti'' compiled by Dhirendranath Baskey, ''Jomsim Binti'' and ''Karam Binti'' compiled by Kanhailal Tudu,Karam Binti
/ref> among others.

Dispute

The dispute surrounding Marang Buru ( Parasnath Hill) in Jharkhand is a century old one, between the Santal Adivasi and Jain communities over religious rights, cultural practices, and land usage. Jains revere the hill as Sammed Shikharji, where 20 of their 24

tirthankaras In Jainism, a ''Tirthankara'' (; ) is a saviour and supreme preacher of the ''dharma'' (righteous path). The word ''tirthankara'' signifies the founder of a '' tirtha'', a fordable passage across '' saṃsāra'', the sea of interminable birt ...

attained nirvana, and have established over 40 temples there. In contrast, the Santals worship the hill as the abode of Marang Buru, their supreme deity, and consider it the most sacred site in their animist tradition. The conflict dates back to 1911, when the Swetamber Jain community attempted to legally prohibit Santal hunting rituals, a move rejected by British colonial courts, which upheld the Santals’ customary rights. Post-independence policies, including the designation of the hill as a wildlife sanctuary in 1978, further restricted Adivasi rights over the land. In 2023, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change issued a directive banning meat, alcohol, and other intoxicants within a 25-kilometer radius of the hill, affecting 99 primarily Adivasi villages. The Jharkhand High Court upheld this ban on May 3, 2025, directing the state government to enforce it and increase security to ensure compliance. While the Jain community views these measures as essential to preserving the sanctity of the site, the Santal community continues to assert their traditional rights, with local organizations filing counter-petitions and celebrating their religious festivals despite mounting restrictions.

References

{{Authority control Santhal Indian deities Sacred groves