SHILLONG: The Grand Council of Chiefs of Meghalaya, Chairman, John F Kharshiing recently submitted a brief report to Dr. Balajied S Syiem, Syiem of Hima Khyrim about a survey conducted during the Nongkrem Dance 2016 celebration of Hima Khyrim.
According to Kharshiing, there were over fifty thousand visitors approximately to this year’s Pomblang spread over the two days.
As a first attempt to document the participation of people for historical record as to the number of footfalls to Nongkrem Dance Hima, Syiem along with the undersigned initiated the process of seeking registration from U Khun U Hajar and other visitors.
From this information collected on the day of Pomblang, there were a total of 3939 visitors from the tribal communities, out of which 1470 were school going students. There were also around 100 non-tribals, who witnessed the Pomblang ceremony.
There were 36 individuals from different states who visited the festival as recorded on the said date.
International tourist also frequented the festival this year coming from countries like Germany, United States of America and the United Kingdom. From within India, people from the states of Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram, Maharashtra, Delhi, Telangana, Bihar, Karnataka, Sikkim and Kashmir also attended the occasion.
He also said that a request to the State Government and Union Ministry of External Affairs, should be made to facilitate visa on arrival facilitation to visitors from abroad for the Nongkrem Dance.
