Ranchi, Apr 4 (PTI) The biggest tribal festival of Sarhul, in which sal trees are worshipped, was celebrated with traditional gaiety and fervor across Jharkhand on Monday.Men and women in traditional dresses, headgears, anklets and bangles thronged the streets and marched in processions in different parts of the state.Sarhul, also called the spring festival, started with rituals in the morning, followed by a forecast of rains by "pahans" (priests) based on traditional practices.It was predicted that Jharkhand would receive normal rainfall this monsoon, which will help produce a good yield.As per the tradition, two earthen pitchers filled with water are placed under a sal tree and kept overnight."If the water level decreases by the morning, it means there will be less rainfall. If the water level remains unchanged, it means there will be good rainfall," priest Jaglal Pahan, who performed the rituals at Sarna Sthal in Ranchi’s Hatma area, told PTI."This year, we found that monsoon will be good in Jharkhand so as the harvest. The rainfall will be better in northern parts of the state," he added.Over the years, the predictions made during Sarhul have been found to be in line with the forecast of the India Meteorological Department, said Bablu Munda, the president of tribal body Kendriya Sarna Samiti.The Meteorological Centre in Ranchi said it was waiting for the first outlook of monsoon, which is generally announced by India Meteorological Department (IMD) in the first week of April."Unless we get the first outlook of monsoon from IMD, we cannot say anything. We hope the first outlook will come by this week," said SC Mandal, a scientist at the weather office here.Chief Minister Hemant Soren visited the Sarna Sthal at Tribal Hostel Campus and Siram Toli in Ranchi to offer his prayers."We are celebrating the festival together after a long Covid-19 period. Nature is worshiped through this festival. We need to protect our nature and our culture and tradition. We have decided to conserve all Sarna and Masna sthals in the state and the Sarna Sthal at Siram Toli will be renovated and given a new identity," he said.Soren announced that the government has decided to renovate all tribal hostels run by the Welfare Department. "We have also decided to provide guards, cooks and food in all hostels. Hostels for girls will be built across the state." Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais also extended his best wishes to the people of the state on the occasion of Sarhul.Later in the day, people in traditional dresses participated in religious processions in different parts of the state.A march was also taken out in Ranchi. It culminated at Siram Toli where rituals were held in the evening.The first Sarhul procession was taken from Ranchi"s Karam Toli by students and tribal leaders in 1961. Over the time, it became a tradition and an integral part of the festival.Sarhul, which is a three-day festival, begins on the third day of Chaitra. People of various tribes such as Oraon, Munda and Ho pay obeisance to the sal tree and thank nature for providing shelter, livelihood and food. PTI SAN CORR NAM SOM SOM