Tharu communities in West Champaran observe Diyari and Sohrai during Diwali

Tharu communities in the Tharuhat area of West Champaran observe Diwali as Diyari. Women make earthen lamps using clay gathered from rivers and other areas. The lamps are fuelled with mustard oil grown in local fields. On Diyari night, lamps are first lit near the kitchen and the well or hand pump. A special lamp called Gahin Dain is also lit and struck with a stick, in a folk tradition believed to ward off evil forces. The next day, communities observe Sohrai by worshipping livestock, agricultural tools and ancestors, followed by a communal meal. The tradition is practised in about 213 villages in the area.

Notable Points

• Sohrai observance: Sohrai is generally observed in October or November. In Santal Parganas, it is celebrated in January, from the 10th to the 15th.
• Sohrai wall art: Women make ritual murals on mud walls to welcome the harvest and celebrate cattle. The festival drawings and patterns are erased after the festival.