Venue: Lalong Village

 

Kiew Lum Sohpetbneng, the name of a tiny spot in Meghalaya pulls huge crowd on the first Sundays in the month of February. The occasion is the annual pilgrimage of the indigenous Khasi people who believe in their sixteen hunts for the gods(Kiew eh-rngiew) who give you good fortune 25 kms away from the capital city of Shillong.       

On all these Sundays in February, those who live in these huts are believed to have been descending and ascending from their heavenly abode to the planet and leave back to the heavens through a golden bridge (Jingkieng Ksiar).
Tourists and pilgrims throng the spot to catch a glimpse of the existing footprints on the rocks near the sanctum sanctorum. That’s what the innocent golden age (Sotti Juk). The golden bridge broke down and those who were living in the huts (Hynniew Trep) started residing on the earth.

U Lum Sohpetbneng who happens to be the repository of ancient wisdom as kept in sacredness. Then it guarded the belief, integrity and cultural heritage of the Hynniewtrep people who have been a major tribe in Meghalaya. The umbilical peak symbolizing the spiritual belief of the Hynniewtreps bears a simple message of universal dimension meant for those who have been looking for peace. That’s why, the 4432 ft U Lum Sohpetbneng Peak is a spot for spiritual fulfillment at a stone’s throw distance from Umiam Lake on the National Highway No 40, 14 km distance from the Shillong Umroi Airport.


Venue: U Lum Sohpetbneng Peak, Umiam Lake

Venue: Shillong Golf Course

The Khasi tribe in Meghalaya is known for their unique tradition and culture. They don’t have any dearth of occasions to showcase their culture before the world. Mention may be made of the Shad Suk Mynsiem. The spring festival falls on April 13, 14 and 15 where they offer prayer to the god for bounteous harvest. Spotlight falls on the Weiking grounds near Shillong.  

They further make it an occasion to showcase their culture dancing to the tune of traditional drum beats and pipes. That’s why, the Khasis call “Shad Phur” as “Shad Suk Mynsiem” a thanks giving dance to the god who ensured a bounteous harvest in the season. It further highlights the unique matrilineal and patrilineal system of the Khasi tribe.

The tourists take delight when men at the venue whip and sword circles the unmarried female counterparts to play the role of a protector of the womanhood having a single strength and resource. The men have twelve strength and resource in them. The dance stands for ritualistic and symbolic of fertility cult which takes place at Raid and Hima village level. That’s the main attraction of the three day long spring festival.  

Their traditional dresses and jewelries are charming. The female dancers wear cloth draped from waist to ankle (Ka Jingpim Shad) with full sleeve blouse with lacework at the neck (Ka Sopti Mukmor). The necklace is made of red coral and foil-covered which they call “U Kpieng Paila”. The golden ear-rings known as Ki Sohshkor Ksier make the costumes more charming.

The male counterparts wear golden silk turban which they call “Ka Jain spong Khor”. These are in addition to the semi-circular collar of gold-silver plate tied round the neck “U Shanryndang”. More charming is their maroon silk cloth worn like a 'dhoti' with a ceremonial   sword.

A honeyed golden November sunshine turns Meghalaya in to a haven misplaced on the planet. The entire north eastern state wears a different look marking the advent of the winter season. That’s an ideal turn for the Garo people in Tura to celebrate the Wangala Dance festival.

Festivity grips Asanang near Tura town on November 12, 13 and 14 where traditional dance and music are showcased. The striking feature of the weeklong festival is the music apart from the orchestra of drums, gongs and flutes. A traditional flute made of buffalo horn makes the festival more charming.

The festival begins after a Nokma performs a ritual with fresh rice-beer, rice and vegetables seeking divine help from Misi Salong for a bumper harvest. Also known as 100 drum Wangala festival, marks an end to the unrelieved toil in the paddy field. 

With the passage of time, Wangala Festival has undergone some changes where the age old Garo traditions have amalgamated with modern life styles of these people in Meghalaya.

The festival begins as soon as ten Wangala Dance troupes arrive the venue from the various parts of the Garo Hills. Drums are played in a rhythmic manner when the participants move in lines much to the delight of the tourists who throng the venue to share the joy.

July in the Jaintia Hills districts of Meghalaya is a season of festival where local people find an occasion to showcase their traditional culture. The annual festival of the Pnara tribe begins on July 15 to conclude on July 20. Known as Behdienkhlam, the religious festival beckons huge number of tourists from the country and abroad. Jowai, locating at an altitude of 1220 metres from sea-level and only 64 km. away from Shillong by road, in the north eastern state wears a fresh look where the youths celebrate the festival with traditional dance and music.

The most striking event takes place on the final day where the Pnara boys and girls throng Aitnar and dance to the tune of their traditional drums and pipes. The participating boys and girls surround a wooden post at a pool they call khnongs and start dancing with all joy.

Organized by Seinraij Jowai after the sowing season, another attraction of the festival is a football-like match which they call dat la wakor to be played between two groups from two different sides of the non Christian Pnara-dominated places. The match predicts the entire harvest season. The first goal scorer would be considered to be the winner of a bumper harvest.

According to what the Pnara people believe, “Behdienkhlam” tands for driving away the plague. “Khlam” means ‘Plague.’

Those who believe in niamtre from Iongpiah, Dulong, Panaliar, Loomkyrwiang, Chilliangraij, Loomiongkjam, Tpep-pale Iawmusiang, Ummulong and Shillong Sein Raij bring a nice-decorated chariot to Aitnar where the festival is celebrated to help them overcome the destructive and to keep the diseases at bay.

They jump on the poles and sometimes break them while dancing on the huge muddy pool. The women are not allowed to participate in the dancing.

The entire Khasi hills in Meghalaya erupts in joy as soon as the Nongkrem dance festival falls. The week long festival takes place on November 1 where the festivity of the Khasi hills people knows no bound. The carnival is all about wealth, animals and an environment. Animals are sacrificed as part of the festival to be followed by feast along with songs and dance. The central place of attraction is Smit, the fixed venue of the occasion where the Khasi hills people throng to participate in the event which is 11 km away from the capital city of Shillong, an ideal place for the tourists. Initially, the Khasi people called it Ka Pemblang Nongrem. But they replaced it with Nongkrem dance Festival of Meghalaya. The salubrious festival comprises fairs, songs and dances, mostly, to appease the goddess Ka Blei Synshar to ensure bounteous crops. The striking part of the festival is the Pemblang ceremony. Performed by the Syiem of Khyrim along with the high priest, the principal event takes place by sacrificing an animal in the name of Lei Shyllong. The god of Shyllong peak by gets a cock. The ancestors of the ruling clan also share the puja offerings in the Nongkrem dance festival.