Sarhul is a well-known festival celebrated by several tribes in Jharkhand. The Munda, Oraon, Ho, and other Jharkhand tribes commemorate the holiday, which is known as the tribal New Year.

The Sarhul word means to venerate trees, namely the sal tree. Because tribal people are more in tune with nature, they begin the Sarhul festival by worshipping natural elements such as trees. Following this celebration, most agricultural operations, such as seed sowing, are initiated by the villagers. The tribal people often bring fresh harvests like paddy, fruits, tree leaves, and flowers for worship. On this day, all tribesmen, women, and children dress in colourful ethnic clothes, worship trees, dance, sing, and rejoice.

Sarhul is celebrated in the spring on the fortnight of 'Chaitra', or the third moon day of the Hindu calendar's first month. The Sarhul celebration marks the beginning of 'Phaagun', or the arrival of the spring season.

Sarhul festival is an important festival for many tribes of Jharkhand, especially for the Oraon tribe. During this occasion, people pray in Sarna. Ploughing is prohibited on this day. People fast the day before the festival. Young people harvest Sal flowers from the adjacent forest and catch crabs and fish. On the occasion of the festival, people travel to Sarna by beating Dhol, Nagara, and Madal. People adore the Sal tree. Shalai, the blooms of the Sal tree, are presented to the deities. The local priest Pahan, also known as Laya, and Pujar offer flowers, fruit, vermilion, three roosters, and Tapan (liquor) as sacrifices to the village deity for good fortune. Pahan sacrifices three roosters of different colours, one for the Sun, the village deities, and the ancestors. Pahan placed a water pot in Sarna and the next day forecasted the weather for the following year. Pahan distributes Sal tree flowers among the villagers. People worship the souls of their ancestors at home and bring them various foods. They take food only after they have offered it to their ancestors' souls. Then they sing and dance to the beat of dhol, nagara, and mandar, while drinking rice beer Handia.

The Sarhul festival in Gumla has featured a procession since 1961. Before that, there was no parade; instead, people danced around Sarnasthal. In urban regions, middle-class tribal activists have reimagined the environmental festival Sahul to celebrate regional identity, whereas in rural areas, it is limited to deity worship.

Every year, the Sarhul festival is celebrated on Chaitra Shukla Tritiya, the third moon day of the Chaitra month. It appears in March or April on the western calendar.