There was a cultural pride in Jamshedpur on Sunday when the President Droupadi Murmu visited the city on the occasion of the centenary celebration of Ol Chiki script, which is 100 years of the native writing system of the Santali language. The President arrived at Dishom Jaherthan, Karandih, where the year-long centenary activities were closed.
The visit is significant to the tribal population, particularly the Santal, since Ol Chiki is not just a script, but a symbol of cultural identity, linguistic pride, as well as self-expression. Ol Chiki was written in 1925 by Pandit Raghunath Murmu, providing the Santali language with its own written language and saving the literature, traditions and history of the tribes.
In Dishom Jaherthan, President Murmu attended traditional tribal rituals and prayers, and this is an example of respecting the indigenous practices. She also honoured the 100th anniversary of Pandit Raghunath Murmu by giving him floral tributes in recognition of his efforts in preserving and promoting the Santali language and culture. The president then gave a speech to the meeting and spoke of the necessity of preserving tribal languages and making sure they are taught in schools and the government.
There were cultural performances, traditional music, and folk dances, with the event also depicting the rich culture of the tribal people of Jharkhand and the surrounding states. The ceremony also saw the felicitation of several writers, scholars, and social workers who have made a lot of efforts in promoting the Santali language and script of Ol Chiki.
The event was attended by the Governor and Chief Minister of Jharkhand, as well as the senior state officials and tribal leaders. The visit by the President caused elaborate security arrangements to be put up across Jamshedpur, and traffic flow was controlled in and around Karandih.
The centenary year of Ol Chiki was commemorated all year round through seminars, literary events, exhibitions and cultural programmes in an attempt to create awareness regarding the script and its importance in contemporary education. Ol Chiki is now listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, but the view of other scholars is to broaden its application in schools, official communication and online.
The fact that President Murmu participated in the centenary event has been interpreted as a powerful statement of national awareness of tribal family and linguistic diversity, that the government is trying to safeguard the original cultures and languages of India.
