Journal of the Asiatic Society 1953 (Science)

The Chart of the Santal Society gives us at a glance a composite picture of the group as a whole and is therefore of considerable value in addition to the testimony it gives to the diligent work of the authors quoted. [...] Skrefsrud in the introduction to his Santhali Grammar written in 1873 expressed the opinion that the Santali speaking people were fn the Punjab when the Sanskrit speaking Sutherland an officer of the East India Company reporting about the hill area called Damin-i-koh in 1818 is.believed to be the first person to use the Santal name in writing the people coming at that time from 'Sant Koomar It [...] When are the regular sacrifices to be performed ? The Santals look upon the month of Magh (Jan.-Feb.) as the end of the agricultural year and the commencement of the next. [...] This animal is called the `Janthar' offering and is sacrificed in the sacred grove to the honour of the Pargana' bonga and afterwards eaten by the men of the village. [...] Then Thakur iu 3 created the beings that live in water the crab the crocodile the alligator the `raghop boar' fish the 'sole' prawn the earthworm the tortoise and others.