Meghalaya celebrates Behdienkhlam Festival, honouring Pnar traditions and praying for prosperity

Meghalaya is celebrating the Behdienkhlam Festival today (July 9), one of the most important cultural and religious festivals of the Pnar community, marked by vibrant rituals, traditional dances and prayers for a bountiful harvest and the well-being of the people.

Observed annually after the sowing season, Behdienkhlam, which translates to "chasing away the demon of cholera," symbolises the warding off of disease, evil spirits and misfortune while invoking divine blessings for peace, prosperity and agricultural abundance.

The multi-day festival features a series of sacred rituals led by the Daloi (traditional chief). Young men perform the symbolic ritual of striking the roofs of houses with bamboo poles to drive away evil forces and protect the community from illness and calamity.

One of the festival's most iconic events is the ceremonial carrying of massive wooden logs through muddy grounds at Aitnar, accompanied by energetic traditional dances to the beats of drums and pipes. Elaborately decorated wooden structures known as Rots are also brought to the sacred pool as part of the rituals.

The celebrations conclude 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 winning side signifies which region will enjoy a more prosperous harvest in the coming year.

Behdienkhlam remains one of Meghalaya's most celebrated indigenous festivals, reflecting the rich cultural heritage, unity and deep-rooted agricultural traditions of the Pnar community while attracting visitors from across the country every year.