Shibu Soren’s Ashes Immersed in Damodar at Rajrappa, Jharkhand CM Hemant Leads Rituals with Tearful Farewell

Former Chief Minister and Dishom Guru Shibu Soren was given a final farewell steeped in Santhal tradition on Sunday, as his ashes were immersed in the sacred Damodar river at Rajrappa. Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, accompanied by his younger brother and MLA Basant Soren, family members, and villagers from Nemra, carried the urn from the ancestral home to the riverbank.

At the confluence of the Damodar and Bhairavi rivers, regarded by the Santhals as a holy site for last rites, a local pahan conducted the rituals in keeping with tribal customs. The practice, known as “Jiling Dahar” or “Damodar Jatra,” is central to Santhal beliefs about the journey of the soul. Hemant Soren, with folded hands and moist eyes, personally immersed his father’s ashes in the river, visibly carrying the weight of both grief and responsibility.

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The moment carried a profound sense of continuity. Shibu Soren, who began as a tribal rights crusader before becoming a three-time chief minister and towering figure in Jharkhand politics, was laid to rest through the same cultural practices that shaped his worldview. For villagers who gathered at the ghat, it was not only a farewell to a leader but also an affirmation of Santhal identity and customs.

The immersion of ashes at Rajrappa also held wider political symbolism. It marked the close of an era, binding Soren’s legacy to the soil and traditions of Jharkhand he long championed. For Hemant, the act was both personal and political: a grieving son fulfilling his duty and a sitting chief minister reaffirming his family’s deep roots in tribal society. As chants and rituals echoed along the river, the ceremony served as a reminder that Shibu Soren’s journey had come full circle, from the struggles of his people to his final return to the Damodar.