Fairs and Festivals of Meghalaya

As there are three tribes in the Meghalaya, the festivals of this region are broadly classified into the festivals of their respective regions. There are many festivals of each tribe but the following are the one of the most important festivals of the community.


¤ Nongkrem Dance (October/November)

This is one of the most important festivals of the Khasi tribes. It is celebrated at 'Smit', which is the cultural center of the Khasis. It is five days celebration for thanking the Lord Almighty for a good harvest. The participants also pray for the peace and prosperity of the community. When the festival commences, the Syiem (the administrative head of the Khasi region) dance before a certain wooden pillar called "U Rishot Blei". Then a ritualistic sacrifice of goats is made followed by a series of rituals like offerings to the Gods and to the ancestors, 'Kalawbei U Thawlang'. Once the religious rituals are over, dancers begin their rituals. Unmarried girls in fine costumes and jewelleries dance within a circle with the men of open sword in one hand and a white yak-hair whisk in the other. They dance to the rhythmic beats of the drums and the clanking of cymbals and the flute striking up a melody in the background. Apart from it, there are lists of festivals that are celebrated by the people in the Khasi hills. Ka Shad Suk Mynsiem, Ka Pom-Blang Nongkrem, Ka-Shad-Shyngwiang-Thangiap, Ka-Shad-Kynjoh Khaskain, Ka Bam Khana Shnong, Umsang Nongkharai and Shad Beh Sier are also festivals, which are celebrated with much pomp and gaiety.


¤ Behdienkhlam(July)

This is one of the popular festivals of the region of Jaintia hills. Based on the socio-economic life of the Jaintias and prayers for the property and good health of the people, this festival is celebrated at Jowai, the district headquarters. Jowai is at an altitude of 1220 meters above sea level and is 64 kms away from Shillong. The festival celebrated to invoke the blessings of the Gods for a bountiful harvest and keep people off diseases and plaque. The main highlight of Behdienkhlam are the making of the "Dein Khlam", "Symlend" and "Khnong", which are rounded, polished and tall trunks of trees. Another festival that can be mentioned which is also celebrated at Jaintia hills is the Sowing Ritual Ceremony.


¤ Wangala(October)

There are many festivals celebrated by the Garos. Mention can be made of Denbilsia, Wangala, Rongchugala, Mi Amua, Mangona, GrendikBa, Dore Rata Dance and Chambil Mesara.
Wangala, celebrated as a thanksgiving ceremony to the Gods and the Goddesses, is considered to be 'the post-harvest festival of the Garos'. Wangala is one of the most important festivals of the Garos. During this festival, ritual sacrifice is made to the goddess ' Misi Saljong' to bless them with plenty of food-grains. The festival also highlights the end of the time of toil in the fields and harvesting of crops.
When the dance ceremony begins the dancers of men and women lined up in queue and the men beat their drums. They move forward in tune with other music of gongs, buffalo-horn and flutes. The dancers perform with energetic and vigorous movements.


¤ Shad Suk Mynsiem (April)

This festival also known as the Dance of the joyful heart. It is held in Shillong and is one of the festivals of the Khasis. The festival is celebrated for three days and during the festivals, men and women clothed in their traditional costumes dance to the beats of the drum and the tunes of the flute.


¤ The Laho Dance (July)

It is one of the festivals celebrated in the Jaintia Hills. During the festival, two men dressed in traditional attire, dance on either sides of a woman holding arms together. Here a man with a talent of reciting promptly churns out couplets for the dance and entertains the audience.


¤ Chambil Mesara or Pomelo Dance (October)

The dance is performed only by skillful dancers. The dance consist of a solo dance where the performer manages to dangle a pomelo or some other fruit from a cord around his waist. The performance gets interesting when the dancer spins more than one pomelo faster and faster.