Within Santal religious life, the pahan stands as the central ritual specialist of the village, functioning both as priest and shaman. This figure leads the major communal ceremonies and seasonal festivals, especially those linked to agriculture and the worship of deities such as Marang Buru and various bongas. At the sacred grove, the jaherthan, the pahan conducts offerings and sacrifices, maintaining the ritual relationship between the community and the unseen world. Through these acts, the pahan safeguards the collective well-being of the village, seeking protection from misfortune, disease, and malevolent spirits.

The pahan’s role as intermediary between humans and spirits is multifaceted and subtle. As a diviner and healer, the pahan diagnoses afflictions understood to arise from spiritual imbalance or offended beings and prescribes ritual remedies, often in the form of offerings or changes in conduct. In this capacity, the pahan is not merely a technician of ritual but a guide who interprets the will of deities, ancestors, and nature spirits, and who may be consulted when important communal decisions are at stake. Through divination and counsel, the pahan helps the community discern auspicious times and spiritually appropriate courses of action.

Equally significant is the pahan’s responsibility for life-cycle rites and the transmission of sacred order. Birth, marriage, and death ceremonies are conducted or overseen by the pahan, who ensures that proper ritual protocols are followed so that ancestors and spirits remain benevolent toward the living. This ritual guardianship extends to the preservation of traditional knowledge: myths, ritual formulas, taboos, and sacrificial procedures are held in memory and passed on to successors. In collaboration with village leaders, the pahan also helps uphold ritual purity and customary norms in religious matters, so that social harmony and spiritual balance reinforce one another.

Seen in this light, the pahan embodies the living continuity of Santal religious tradition. By maintaining the sacred grove, leading communal worship, mediating with the spirit world, and guiding the community through its critical thresholds, the pahan weaves together the visible and invisible dimensions of village life. The office is typically inherited and requires sustained training in ritual and lore, so that each pahan becomes a vessel of accumulated wisdom. Through this enduring role, the Santal community experiences its relationship with deities, spirits, and ancestors not as an abstract doctrine, but as a rhythm of shared ceremonies, healings, and counsels that shape everyday existence.