From Our Correspondent
JOWAI, July 1: Unfolding with vibrant traditions and spirited celebrations, the second day of the annual Behdeinkhlam festival on Monday began with the ‘Knia Aitnar’ offering at the sacred Aitnar site, followed by local participants preparing in their respective localities to fetch their ‘Deinkhlam’ poles.
After the ‘Knia Aitnar’ ceremony, participants left their localities to the rhythmic beats of drums and pipes, converging at Mynkoi Pyrdi, where they engaged in a lively dance before setting off to fetch the revered ‘Khnong Blai’.
Once all localities had arrived at Mynkoi Pyrdi, they danced together briefly before making their way, dancing in unison, towards ‘Ka Biar Ka Blai.’
From this point, the participants journeyed into the depths of the jungle to select and retrieve the polished, elongated trees known as ‘Deinkhlam’.
In the afternoon, as each locality brought their Deinkhlam to Iawmusiang, they placed them in designated spots. The festivities continued with communal dancing and joyous celebration, culminating in the placement of the ‘Ka Khnong Blai’ at Loom-soo-Iung for the night.
On Tuesday, the Deinkhlam poles will be taken to their respective localities, marking the next phase of the rich cultural festival.
