First Quote Added
aprile 10, 2026
Latest Quote Added
"There is, however, a remarkable abhorrence,among the Santals, of the Mohammedans, whom they call Turuk, a term which carries a connotation of contempt. According to their tradition, the sojourn of the Santal ancestors in ‘the corrupt and defiled land’ of the Muslims was attended with such grave harassment that contact with Muslims must be avoided. ... the Santals of Pangro, likemany other Santals elsewhere, however, do not accept food from these Muslims."
"“While among the non-Christians the most important part of the marriage ceremony is the Sindradan, or smearing the bride’s forehead with vermillion, among the Christians the exchange of rings by bride and groom marks them as husband and wife. The applying of sindoor [= vermillion] is tabooed.” The clean break is also in evidence in the funeral rites: “In the funerary ceremonies, there is little trace of non-Christian customs and modes of thought.... The converts are, by and large, being alienated from their village communities. Moreover, converts also become estranged from their own kinsfolk. They are prohibited by their own religion from taking part in the ritual offerings and ceremonies [for the ancestral and other deities]. These ritual practices and ceremonies … act as a strong unifying force among the household and family members.... Cutting themselves off from many aspects of their old community life, the converts find themselves members of a new community, the Christian community."