SALUTATION
Salutation is one kind of noble art of showing human behavior
like ‘Hand-shake’ or Doing Hats-off. The santali term of salutation is God-Johar.
Actual meaning of Johar is fruitful (begging of blessing for success) that is
why in santali society Johar is mainly performed to show respect to the
superiors or to the God and Goddess to get blessing from them. Santals don’t
salute here and there on the road side, they do so when somebody or relative or
guest comes to their home. There are several types of salutation s in the society.
Only a few of them are narrated below.
CHOH JOHAR
Choh Johar
is a kind of greeting shown by the elders towards younger ones. ChohJohar is
different for men and women. When a women perform chohjohar she touchs chin of
the kid with both her hands and then pull it towards itself with the sound of
kiss. This gesture shows that she is taking away all the miseries of the kid.
When a men
does Choh Johar he brings his right hand over his younger ones head and then
take it back to its own head. This is a way of taking away all his sorrows.
GOD JOHAR
This type of Johar is shown by the juniors to seniors or
superior with respect to age and relationship. The way of salutation is quite
different from one sex to another. When a boy salutes to his senior or
superior, he stands infront of him and then bows down his head with his folded
hand, but a girl sits in front of the superior and bows down her head with the
touching of feet with her joint palms followed by a pan full of water for
washing.
BALA JOHAR
BALA JOHAR
is a special type of johar (greeting) done by parents and relatives of bride
and bridegroom. Style of doing balajohar by mens is different from that of womens.
When it is done by mens they stand facing each other holding each others hand.
Right hand is held by left and vice versa. Then they gently collide there
chests five times in different angles. When it is done by womens they bend a
little and hold each others hand and gently collide there heads five times. This
johar is done when the relatives of bride and bridegroom meets.
