A few years ago, a newly-erected statue of Mother Mary at Singpur village in Ranchi district sparked a controversy that echoed across Jharkhand. The reason: Mary was depicted wearing a white saree with a red border. Members of the Sarna Dharm, the faith which many tribes in Jharkhand follow, objected to the saree. Sarna elders threatened to remove the statue from the village unless the attire was changed. Dressing Mother Mary in a red and white saree—worn by Jharkhandi tribal women—was seen as a tactic to convert Sarna tribals to Christianity. The saree, a distinct marker of tribal identity, was weighted with religious and cultural meanings.“Red and white are prominent tribal colours,” says fashion designer Ashish Satyavrat, founder of Ranchi-based Johargram. “In tribal philosophy, red represents blood and sacrifice, and white symbolises peace.”