Photo: BSS

DINAJPUR, Sept 4, 2025 (BSS) - The Santal ethnic community of Hakimpur upazila in Dinajpur today celebrated their biggest religious and social festival, Dal Puja, in a vibrant atmosphere of devotion, fasting, music and dance.

Villages with a Santal-majority population including Udaygiri, Gohara, Bagmara and Malancha took on a festive look from noon to evening as men, women and children gathered for day-long prayers, rituals and traditional performances. 

Worshippers sought divine blessings for protection from natural disasters and for the welfare of people across the country.

According to tradition, Dal Puja is observed every year on the eleventh day of the full moon in the Bangla month of Bhadra, a practice that Santals believe has been handed down from their forefathers. 

Devotees observe a strict fast throughout the day and break it only after evening prayers.

This year's celebrations began with spirited dances, devotional songs and kezza performances, filling the villages with color and joy.

Community elder Gurudev Srenal Mardi, 63, said, "We believe that fasting and praying on this day brings blessings not just for Santals but for people of all faiths."

Former chairman of Hakimpur Upazila Adivasi Parishad Badal Toppo said that Dal Puja is the most significant Santal festival, involving every family. "Today we prayed together for harmony among all religions and for everyone's well-being," he added.

Members of the Oraon community and visitors from nearby areas also joined the occasion, turning the Santal villages into a hub of devotion, cultural expression and communal harmony.