Sarhul is one of the main festivals of Jharkhand in India. The word SARHUL is derived from two words SAR and HUL. 'SAR' means SARAI (seed of Sal tree) and HUL means WORSHIP /PRAY. Thus the meaning of SARHUL is “WORSHIP OF SAL”. In KURUKH language, it is known as KHADDI. Therefore SARHUL is worship of nature. Local people in Jharkhand worship the mother Earth. They consider the mother Earth as SITA, the wife of lord RAMA. This way they worship the goddes Sita as mother Earth. SAL TREE or SARNA TREE is believed as the abode of the goddess SARNA, who protects the village and the community from all kinds of natural calamities and disasters. The worship place is known as SARNA STHAL. It is a place chosen by the priest called PAHAN or BAIGA. Usually sarnasthal remains aside the village where at least one Sal tree is found. This is also known as CHALA- PACHO. CHALA means SARNA and PACHO means OLD WOMAN. Therefore it also means a house of old woman . PAHAN/BAIGA is traditional priest of tribal community. The post of priestship is inherited by birth. PAHAN is the headman of the village as well as the priest. During SARHUL, the priest keeps fasting from a day before the main ritual day. Other villagers may also keep fasting. On the day of Sarhul, Pahan worships goddess SARNA and offers red feathered cock or chicken along with Haria, a local wine made of rice. There are other rituals also. After the worship is over, the priest goes door to door and sprinkles water in every house brought from the SARNASTHAL. After religious performances villagers indulge in merry making. They perform SARHUL DANCE and sing SARHUL SONGS. Villagers keep all agricultural works aside during the festival. They begin their cultivation job on the next day of SARHUL with tilling their land .