| |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Festival
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dance of the joyful
heart- It is a thanksgiving dance celebrated usually in April
for three days. It is an important festival of the Khasis
held at Weiking Ground, Shillong. This dance is popularly
known as Shad Weiking. On the first day, the male dancers
gather at the Seng Khasi Hall and in a procession proceed
to the Weiking Ground accompanied by drums and flutes. The
dance on the first day is known as Shad Nohkjat. The third
day is the biggest day where dancers, both male and female,
assemble at the ground. Bejewelled maidens attired in traditional
finery and the silver clad menfolk in colourful costumes dance
merrily to the beating of drums and the accompaniment of flutes.
People from all walks of life throng the ground in their traditional
dresses. At the end of the end, during the festival, the male
dancers, accompanied by the drummers and flutists return to
the Seng Khasi Hall to resume dancing at the main courtyard
for an hour or so.
|
|
|
Nongkrem
Dance
|
|
|
This festival is performed at
Smit in all its pristine glory. It is essentially a commemoration
to celebrate the evolutionary process of the Khasis maturing
into the formation of the democratic States. The legendary
Shillong Peak stands testimony to this episode when the
Creator in divine congregation manifested in the person
of 'U Shillong' bestowed the art of democratic governance
and the rule of justice. Pah Syntiew was ordained to progenerate
the lineage of elected rulers (Syiems) on the formation
of Shillong State (Hima). The Hima Shillong was later bifurcated
into Hima Khyrim and Hima Mylleim. The headquarters of Hima
Khyriem was shifted from Nongkrem to Smit in 1830.
For three consecutive nights
(Pamtiah, Umni, Iewduh), solemn reverence and obeisance
is paid to U Lei Shillong (The Creator as conceived in the
person of U Shillong), U Suid Nai Long Syiem (the ancestral
maternal uncles) and to the venerated progenitress ancestress
'Ka Pah Syntiew' of the ruling lineage. A sanctification
ceremony of the Tangmuri, the queen of musical instruments
is being performed where fowls and decapicated goats is
presented by each Raid (Zilla) of the Hima. A separate ceremony
is performed on the third day, which is the Iewduh or market
day of the week. On the fourth day, virgins and youths attired
in traditional dresses, dance in the courtyard of the Ing
Sad. On the fifth and final day, amid the silence of the
night, the Syiem kneels down and offer a prayer of thanks
giving to the Creator, the Omnipotent.
|
|
|
|
Behdeiñkhlam
|
 |
|
This is the most important
festival of the Jaiñtias. It is celebrated at Jowai. This
is a colourful and majestic event celebrated in the month
of July to ensure that the crops sown yield a bountiful harvest.
The actual festival runs for four days, featuring religious
ceremonies, processions, dancing in the rain and an ancient
game akin to soccer but played with a wooden ball, known as
"Datlawakor". Khlam means plague or pestilence and Behdeiñ
means to drive away with wooden sticks. It is a very popular
and colourful festival where only the menfolk, young and old,
take part and dance to the rhythm of the drums and flute.
Women do not take part in the dancing but have an important
role to play at home in offering sacrificial food to the spirits
of the ancestors. They evoke their aid and intervention so
that life will be good and worthy. Men go round the town and
beat the roof of every house with bamboo poles calling upon
the plague demon to leave the house. This is done early on
the first day of the festival. The climax of the celebration
is the tussle. Akin to tug-of-war, a large undressed beam
is carried by two groups of people opposed to each other.
This festival is also an invocation to God seeking his blessings
for good harvest. The soccer game with the wooden ball, known
as Datlawakor, is performed on the last day of the festival
at Mynthong, Jowai.
Beautiful three or
four storeyed Tabuts (tower like structures) are displayed
in the dancing ground, Aitnar. These are brought from different
parts of Jowai. A real treat to an onlooker, these tabuts
resembles the Maharram festival of the Muslims.
As time changes, these
tower like structures are being replaced different kinds of
tableaus like dolphins, dinosaurs, bulls, cottages, archers,
malaria carrier mosquitoes and many others.
The dancing muddy
ground at Aitnar has been modified and transformed into a
dry pond. It is filled with water only during the festival.
A gallery has been built to accommodate the elders of the
town and visitors so they can get a clear glimpse of the ongoing
festival.
The Behdeiñkhlam festival
celebrated at Tuber is the biggest and grandest with nearly
60/70 participitating localities.
The Tuber Behdeiñkhlam
is different because the muddy ground is still being used
for dancing. The women folk take part in the procession while
accompanying the Tabuts but they are not allowed to enter
the muddy ground. After the dance, the tableaus are then dumped
in a field.
|
|
|
Wangala
Dance (Garo)
|
|
|
|
This is a major festival
of the Garos. Wangala celebrates the autumn harvest. It is
held every year between November and December. To seek propitiation
from the deity Patigipa Rarongipa, ceremonies are being performed
in every village. After harvest, the annual dance of joy and
thanks giving commences. It is followed by elaborate rituals
entailing four days and nights of universal dancing and merriment.
It culminates in the warrior's dance or the dance of Hundred
Drums. A colourful and spectacular festival is seen on the
final day. The occasion is initiated right in the field in
an impressive ceremony known as 'Rugala' which is followed
by the ceremony of burning incense known as 'Sasat Soa'. Amidst
the burning incense, beating of drums and people chanting,
the sprinkling of rice powder on the harvest bounty is done
and then offered to the gods. The ceremony is then followed
by merry making, dancing and drinking of rice beer.
The Hundred Drums
is formed by ten contingents. Ten drummers from each contingent,
with one hundred dancers in their colourful costumes and feathered
headgears, dance to the rhythm of the long oval shaped drums.
This famous festival
is annually celebrated at Asanangre near Rongram 15 kms from
Tura.
|
|
|
 |
| | | Contents
of this Site maintained by Algorith (Software Solution Group) Shillong and hosted
by ssnet.com |
|
