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The Baha festival. (1) Four Santal women with sprigs of sal-tree blossom in their hair, dancing the Baha dance, accompanied by three Santal drummers (two beating the ‘tumdak’,’ one the ‘tamak).’ A fourth Santal boy attempts to measure the height of the leading woman, a fifth clutches the hand of the woman last in the row. (2) A bullock with its head in the fork of a tree, a boy holding its tall, two Santals preparing to fell the bullock with the butt-ends of of their battle-axes. (3) Two Santals drinking rice-beer, a third pouring ricebeer from a pot, a fourth pulling up ‘the jogmanjhi’ (proctor of the village youth) who has fallen down drunk. (4) A long dark blue python, its head in a cleft tree-trunk, is about to be slain with a knife; to the rear, a Santal stirs a pot, two other Santals hold sticks.

Note: Since Maran Buru in his human guise of Lita taught the first Santal couple how to make rice-beer - as a result of which they became drunk, ‘lost their shame’ and commenced sexual intercourse (see W.G. Archer (1974), 262) - the brewing and drinking of rice-beer (normal at all festivals and ceremonies) is especially significant at the Baha festival of which a prime purpose is to honour Maran Buru. It is significant that the drinking of rice-beer and the killing of a cow and python for meat are recurring themes in scroll paintings of the Baha festival. Pythons were formerly a special Santal delicacy and were believed to be a favourite dish of Maran Buru’s.