Parasnath Hill in Jharkhand, Religious and Cultural Importance

Context: Jharkhand High Court ordered a ban on liquor and meat on Parasnath Hill to respect Jain sentiments amid complaints of violations during tribal festivals.

About Parasnath Hills

• Parasnath Hill is the highest peak in Jharkhand (1,365 m), located in the Giridih district.
• It is a sacred site for Jains and a holy place for the tribal Santhal community.
• The hill is part of the Parasnath Wildlife Sanctuary, which is a protected area.

Religious & Cultural Importance of Parasnath Hills

Jainism

• Considered the most sacred pilgrimage site (Shri Sammed Shikharji) for Jains.
• Believed to be the place where 20 out of 24 Tirthankaras attained Moksha.
• Numerous Jain temples and shrines are present on the hill.

Santal Adivasi Community (Marang Buru)

• Recognises Marang Buru (“Great Mountain”) as a sacred site for their religious practices and venue of the Sendra festival.
• Conducts an annual festival and rituals at the site.
• The site holds spiritual and cultural importance for the tribal community.

Ongoing Dispute Between Jain and Santal Community

The twin religious importance has resulted in an ancient and sometimes fierce conflict between the Jain and Santal people:

• Divergent Practices: The Santal ritual hunting practice (Sendra) and their long history of forest access for subsistence run headlong into the Jain traditions of non-violence, vegetarianism, and holiness of the pilgrimage path.
• Tourism vs. Pilgrimage: Over the last few years, governmental proposals to market the hill as a tourist spot caused mass protests by the Jain community, worried that commercialization would dilute religious sanctity and give rise to non-vegetarian food sales and alcohol consumption.
• Adivasi Rights: The Santals, however, advocate for the retention of their customary rights over land and their cultural ways, which they believe are violated by prohibitions for the sake of Jain sensitivities or tourism promotion.
• Legal Interventions: The matter has witnessed legal struggles and governmental interventions. In 1978, the region was declared a wildlife sanctuary, resulting in the restriction of Adivasi rights.
  • Later on, in 2023, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change prohibited the sale and consumption of meat, liquor, and other psychoactive intoxicants within a radius of 25 kilometres from the hill.
  • This prohibition was upheld by the Jharkhand High Court in May 2025, with strict implementation continuing to be an issue of contention for the Santal people who affirm their customary rights.

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