By Our Reporter
NONGPOH, April 19: Curtain came down on the three-day Shad Sokra festival of the Tiwah or Lalung indigenous community of Raid Lymphuid, under Hima Khyrim in Ri-Bhoi district, as the rare cultural celebration concluded on Saturday in Lymphuid village.
Held once every five years, the sacred festival began on April 17.
Shad Sokra is a sacred festival dedicated to Potol Maji, the deity worshipped by the community for blessings of good health, abundance, peace and unity among the people of the Raid.
The rituals took place in the revered courtyard of the Ingsad, locally known as Thini Muslung Thintha Khal—a sacred ground symbolic of the three ancestral women.
The programme was attended by Mawhati MLA Charles Marngar as well as traditional heads, elders and villagers of Raid Lymphuid.
In his address, Marngar lauded the community leaders for keeping alive their age-old customs through the vibrant festival. “It is through such celebrations that the roots of our identity remain strong,” he said.
He also extended his best wishes to the organisers and expressed joy in witnessing the rich cultural expression of the Tiwah people.
On the occasion, the Mawhati MLA announced that work on a long-awaited 16-km road from Amdubighat to Lymphuid—a major connectivity issue that has troubled the villagers for decades—will commence in the coming months to ease travel and improve infrastructure in the area.
Meanwhile, speaking to media persons, secretary of Raid Lymphuid, Albert Dilar, explained that Shad Sokra is observed over three days between March and April.
During this period, the community strictly prohibits the killing or consumption of meat, animal sacrifice, and even the wearing of trousers and shoes.
Traditional musical instruments such as the Khram (drum), Pangsi (flute), and Thurang (long flute) are used throughout the celebrations.
Led by a noted and popular figure of the clan, participants clad in traditional attire also carry symbolic flower bundles resembling deer antlers, Laidama (Banana stem) resembling the bear and Mos Pari resembling black goat, and perform the traditional dance called Nashuni.
Dilar also noted that any dancer wishing to participate in Shad Sokra must undergo 42 days of rigorous training.
Before entering the sacred dance arena, they must carry sacred bamboo sticks previously burned in ritual fire—a symbolic act to cleanse the spirit and ward off negative energies.