SHILLONG, April 12: With COVID-19 scare playing the spoilsport for Shad Suk Mynsiem in 2020, the celebrations this year turned out to be tad different with curtailed programmes.
The Shad Suk Mynsiem celebrations were in 2020 cancelled due to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. However, this year, hundreds of people celebrated ‘Shad Suk’ (dance of peaceful hearts) across Meghalaya, marking the harvest season and paying obeisance to God.
A programme was held at Weiking Ground, Jaiaw, on Monday during which as many as 600 artistes participated in the dance. Albeit the Weiking Ground can house around 1,300 dancers, the number of dancers was reduced this year owing to the pandemic. Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong was also a part of programme.
It may be mentioned that Shad Suk Mynsiem is celebrated in the month of April as a mark of thanksgiving to mother nature for good harvest and for fresh sowing of seeds.
During the celebration, both men and women partake in the dance, which begins with drums, flutes and cymbals picking up the tempo.
During the dance, two circles are formed with women on the inner and men on the outer ring.
The Shad Suk Mynsiem dance is also symbolic of women fertility where they are receptacles of seeds and bearers of fruit, and men are cultivators who plant, cultivate and nurture the seeds until they are harvested.