Santali literature

Santali literature (Santali: ᱥᱟᱱᱛᱟᱲᱤ ᱥᱟᱶᱦᱮᱫ) refers to the literary works written in the Santali language, primarily spoken by the Santal people of India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan. It is one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is written in the indigenous script called Ol Chiki script. Santali literature is composed in two broad styles- ᱠᱟᱹᱛᱷᱱᱤ (Kạthni-prose), ᱜᱟᱹᱛᱷᱱᱤ (Gạthni-poetry).In terms of historical development, it is broadly classified into two prominent forms (genres) based on historical passes. They are:

  • Rar Sāṅhed (ᱨᱚᱲ ᱥᱟᱶᱦᱮᱫ) – before and including 18th century CE. This period was marked by poems and stories extolling oral literature.
  • Al Sāṅhed (ᱚᱞ ᱥᱟᱶᱦᱮᱫ) – from 19th century onwards. This era is known for its vibrant literary works and creative writing.

The Santali Latin alphabet was created in the 1890s by the Norwegian missionary Paul Olaf Bodding. It is still used by some Santhals, particularly the members of the Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church (NELC). The Ol Chiki script was invented in 1925 by Pandit Raghunath Murmu.

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