JOWAI: The annual Behdeinkhlam festival of the Sein Raij Tuber will culminate today with thousands bearing witness to the conclusion of one of the biggest and colourful religious festival of the Pnar’s traditional faith- Ka Niamtre.
Chief Minister Conrad Sangma will also be attending the event along with cabinet ministers including Social Welfare Minister Kyrmen Shylla.
The Sein Raij Tuber kicked-off the four-day long festival on Friday with various rituals being performed on the first and the second day.
On Sunday, faithful known as Ki Khon ka Sein Raij Tuber from various villages came together accompanied by drums beats, trumpets and cymbals to carry the two sacred trees to the sacred pool known as Biar Blai located at Tuberkmai Shnong in East Jaintia Hills.
The tree were cut and brought to the ‘Ka Biar Blai’ from forest of Lumshyrmit village and Rashai village.
Thousands were seen dancing to the traditional drums beats and the crashing sound of cymbals while both the sacred trees known as ‘Dein Bhang’ were carried by groups divided based on the North and South direction known as ‘Ki Phang Nein’ and ‘Phang Wah’.
Behdeinkhlam festival of the Sein Raij Tuber is a festival handed down to the present generation since time immemorial. It is a festival celebrated after the end of the sowing season with an aim to drive away plague.
It may be mentioned that the word ‘Beh’ means drive or chase away, ‘Dein’ mean sticks and Khlam means plaque. So ‘Behdeinkhlam’ literally means to drive away the plague.
“Plague means social evils, evil spirits and all kinds of destruction to mankind be it drugs, alcohol, other anti-social elements or discrimination”, said the Sein Raij Tuber Secretary, Jalbi Sana.
Meanwhile, the Peoples’ Democratic Front (PDF) East Jaintia Hills District, wished Seiñ Raij Tuber and the people a successful and prosperous Behdienkhlam.
This was issued in a press statement by the president of PDF East Jaintia Hills, Shibor Lamare.
Earlier, the president and general secretary of Seinraij Jowai extended their gratitude to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, the Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court, cabinet ministers, the North Eastern Council and the Ministry of DoNER, MLA’s, the Chief Executive Member of JHADC, MDC’s and all departments involved in the successful celebration of the annual Behdeinkhlam state festival which culminated on July 14 at Aitnar sacred pool in Jowai, West Jaintia Hills.
