Meghalaya celebrated the Behdienkhlam Festival on Wednesday, one of the most significant cultural and religious festivals of the Pnar community, with traditional rituals, dances and prayers for a prosperous harvest and the well-being of the people.
Observed every year after the sowing season, Behdienkhlam, meaning “chasing away the demon of cholera,” symbolises the expulsion of disease, evil spirits and misfortune while seeking divine blessings for peace, prosperity and agricultural abundance.
The multi-day festival featured a series of sacred rituals led by the Daloi, the traditional chief. As part of the celebrations, young men performed the symbolic ritual of striking the roofs of houses with bamboo poles to drive away evil forces and safeguard the community from illness and calamity.
One of the festival’s most prominent attractions was the ceremonial procession of massive wooden logs through muddy grounds at Aitnar, accompanied by lively traditional dances performed to the rhythm of drums and pipes. Elaborately decorated wooden structures known as Rots were also carried to the sacred pool as part of the rituals.
The celebrations concluded with Dad-lawakor, a traditional football-like game played with a wooden ball between teams representing the northern and southern regions. According to local belief, the outcome of the contest indicates which region will enjoy a more abundant harvest in the coming year.
Behdienkhlam continues to be one of Meghalaya’s most important indigenous festivals, showcasing the rich cultural heritage, unity and agrarian traditions of the Pnar community while attracting visitors from different parts of the country each year.
