About Ol Chiki script:
- It was created in 1925 by Raghunath Murmu (1905-1982), writer and teacher from what is Mayurbhanj State (now part of Odisha) in India as a way to write Santhali a Munda language.
- Ol Chiki is also known as Ol Cemet', Ol Ciki, Ol or the Santhali alphabet.
- It was created as a way to promote Santhali culture.
- The script was first publicized in 1939 at the Mayurbhanj State exhibition.
- Murmu published over 150 books in Santhali in the Ol Chiki script, including novels, poetry, drama, grammars, dictionaries and other information about the language and script.
- Santhali is also written with the Latin, Odia, Bengali and Devanagari alphabets.
- Santhali language is spoken mainly in Jharkhand and West Bengal states in northern India, and also in northwestern Bangladesh, eastern Nepal and Bhutan.
Key facts about Hul Diwas
- The Santhal rebellion or ‘Hul’ – literally, revolution – began in 1855 two years before the uprising of 1857.
- It was an “organised war against colonialism” led by the Santals, standing against the myriad forms of economic oppression
- It was led by two brothers Sidhu and Kanhu.
- It saw the participation of as many as 32 caste and communities rallying behind them.
