Travel
Sites Visit
Goa, Karnataka,
Kerala, Tamil
Nadu, Andhra Pradesh in South
India, Delhi, Rajasthan,
Uttar Pradesh, Himachal
Pradesh in North India, Assam, Bengal,
Sikkim in East India |
| |
|
Go
to : Index
File
Meghalaya’s annual Behdeinkhlam festival ends Shillong
(Meghalaya): Thousands of people participated in a procession and festivities
on the final day of the traditional Behdeinkhlam festival held here. The Pnar-Jaintia
people in Meghalaya celebrate Behdeinkhlam every year to drive away plague, devils
and all kinds of evil spirits besides praying for peace, prosperity and a good
harvest. Behdeinkhlam is also an expression of the Pnar-Jaintia people to reaffirm
their relation with their culture and traditions in the modern times. Besides,
the Pnar-Jaintia people beyond age participated in a traditional procession. Participants
danced, beat drums and carried Pagodas; signifying various evils. At the conclusion
of the day though, the Pagodas were dismantled to signify the triumph of good
over evil. During the procession, men carried a huge log and dance in a pool of
mud, signifying a divine weapon to chase away pestilence and all sorts of diseases
and evils. One of the tribal elders, Sumar Sing Sawian opted to describe the meaning
of the festival in a modern-era as a ceremony to drive away all socio political
evils. “Behdeinkhlam means to chase away all diseases, all evils, but in the modern
context it means to chase away the corruption that is going on," said Sawian.
Traditionally, everyone from the community takes part in the ceremony while priests
perform a symbolic eviction of evil elements from houses and the region at large.
-July 18, 2009
| | |
|