Introduction

Forming one of the main regions of the beautiful state of Meghalaya, one of India's most popular tourist attractions, the Jaintia Hills are famous for the way they have held on to their tribal culture even today, in an age of modernism. Exhibiting a beauty and a charm that makes the hills one of he principal attractions while on a tour to Meghalaya, this tribal grandeur of the Jaintia Hills are definitely not to be missed. One of the most important features of the tribal charm of Meghalaya is the Behdienkhlam Festival, (June-July) celebrated in the Jaintia Hills region of Meghalaya.

The Behdienkhlam Festival,(June-July)

One of the most famous festivals of Meghalaya, the Behdienkhlam Festival, (June-July) is celebrated by the Pnars as a form of homage which was paid to the Gods of the Seven Huts who arrived in the region from heaven and established a kingdom here. A prediction claimed that the region would suffer a violent plague that threatened to wipe out the entirety of the tribe. Scared by this ill-fortuned prediction, the Jowai people traveled to the shrine of heir protector deity Mulong, U Mukhai and Musniang who advised them to worship the divine elements in the form of the festival of Behdienkhlam which was to be held annually. Thus, the festival is also known as the festival for chasing away the Demon of Cholera. Today, however the festival has another important significance. It is used as a prayer seeking divine blessings for a rich harvest in the year ahead

Rituals of the Behdienkhlam Festival,(June-July)

The festival of Behdienkhlam is begun by a ritual in which the Daloi or the chief of the tribe opens the proceedings with a ceremonial invocation to the Gods of the tribes through a series of religious rites. Following this is one of the most popular rituals of the festivals where young men symbolize the flight of he evil spirit by beating the roof of every house in the village with bamboo poles. However, the main attraction of the festival takes place when young men fight for the possession of a huge beam, a fight which is characterized by smearing of mud on all the participants.

Concluding Ceremony

The festival of Behdienkhlam reaches its conclusion with the Dad-lawakor ceremony in which groups of men jostle for the possession of a wooden ball, a game which is remotely similar to football. The festival ends with a final salutation to the divine powers when the women of the tribe offer sacrificial food to the Almighty.