Fairs & Festivals Part 2 by Dr. Gaurav Garg
Behdienkhlam festival : Meghalaya
● Behdienkhlam is a combination of three words, Beh (to get rid of), Dien
(wood or log) and Khlam (plague). Together, these words become one and
translates to ‘to get rid of plague’.
● It is one of the most famous festivals in Jowai, Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya. It
is celebrated every year in the month of July.
● The prime objective of the festival is to pray to the lord for good health and
harvest.
● One week before the festival, a pig is sacrificed .
Nongkrem Dance Festival : Meghalaya
● Nongkrem dance festival is an annual festival of the Khasi tribe of
Meghalaya.
● The festival lasts for five days and is generally celebrated in the month of
November.
● The unique dance is performed by the members of Hima Khyrim, a sub-tribe
of the indigenous Khasi tribe.
● This indigenous dance festival is celebrated in order to honor the powerful
Goddess Ka Blei Synshar for blessing the people of the community with
good harvest and prosperity.
● The Nongkrem festival starts with a goat sacrifice ceremony as the word Nongkrem means ‘goat killing ceremony’ .
Wangala Festival : Meghalaya
● Wangala (also known as The Hundred Drums Festival, Wanma, Wanma
Rongchua) is a harvest festival celebrated by the Garo tribe , who live in
Meghalaya.
● Also celebrated in Nagaland and Assam in India and Greater Mymensingh in
Bangladesh.
● In this post harvest festival, they give thanks to Misi Saljong (also known as
Pattigipa Ra'rongipa), the sun god , for blessing the people with a rich
harvest. Wangala is celebrated in the months from September to December,
with different villages setting different dates for the occasion.
Shad Suk Mynsiem : Meghalaya
● "The 'Shad Suk Mynsiem' is one such celebration to show the community's
admiration for God.
● It is organised throughout the Khasi Hills during spring time when nature
rejuvenates itself and mankind is filled with the hope of a rich harvest from
the sown seeds.
● In every religious ritual of the Khasi tribe, the grand finale is the
performance of a dance, a Thanks Giving Dance called 'Shad Phur', which is
now called “ Shad Suk Mynsiem ”.
Chapchar kut festival : Mizoram
● The Chapchar Kut is a festival of Mizoram, India.
● It is celebrated during March after completion of their most arduous task of
jhum operation (Jhum cultivation or Shifting Cultivation) i.e., jungle-clearing
(clearing of the remnants of burning).
● It is a spring festival celebrated with great favour and gaiety.
● Chapchar Kut is one of three annual festivals of the Mizos celebrated to mark
three different stages of the agricultural cycle.
● The other two are Mim Kut and Pawl Kut , also revived in the last century.
● Mim Kut - It is usually celebrated during the months of August and
September, after the harvest of maize.
● Samples of the year's harvests are consecrated to the departed souls of the
community.
● The Pawl Kut is a festival of Mizoram held in December in India.
● Pawl means " Straw " hence pawl kut means a straw harvest festival.
● It is typically celebrated in December for two days after harvest and an
important festival.
Zo Kutpui Festival : Mizoram
● The Mizoram State Government organises Zo Kutpui festival aimed at re-unifying and strengthening brotherhood
among different tribes of Mizo.
● The festival is an attempt to unify and strengthen the brotherhood among various Mizo tribes living in different parts
of the world.
Hornbill Festival : Nagaland
● The Hornbill Festival is a celebration held every year from 1 to 10
December, in Nagaland, Northeast India.
● It is also called the ' Festival of Festivals '.
● The festival is named after the Indian hornbill , the large and colourful forest
bird which is displayed in the folklore of most of the state's tribes.
● The Hornbill Festival provides a colourful mixture of dances, performances,
crafts, parades, games, sports, food fairs and religious ceremonies.
* Pakke Paga Hornbill is a festival of Arunachal Pradesh.
Aoleang (Aoling) festival : Nagaland
● The Aoling Festival (sometimes spelt as Aoleng) is a festival celebrated by
the Konyak Naga people and held in the first week of April in the Mon
district of Nagaland , North East India.
● The Konyak people are the largest of 17 officially recognized tribes in
Nagaland and are the most well known due to their tradition of head hunting.
● The Aoling Festival celebrates the arrival of spring and prays for a good
upcoming harvest .
● The celebrations are held in the first week of April and coincide with the start
of the Konyak New Year.
Ngada Festival : Nagaland
● The Ngada Festival is celebrated by the Rengma tribe, originating in Assam
and Nagaland, North East India.
● It is among the most popular festivals of Nagaland .
● The festival resembles a kind of thanksgiving which is clearly molded by the
Rengma culture.
● It is a post-harvest festival that celebrates a successful harvest.
Hega festival : Nagaland
● Hega festival is a very prominent and popular festival of Nagaland, North
East India.
● It is celebrated by the Zeliang community in Nagaland.
● Persistently praying to God and thanking him for his blessing is an important
part of this festival.
● Young couples are engaged and wedded during the course of this festival.
● The Hega festival is celebrated every year in the month of February.
Chaitra Jatra festival : Odisha
● This festival is celebrated at Tara Tarini hill shrine on Tuesdays of the Hindu month of Chaitra.
● Tara Tarini hill shrine, located at Kumari hill on banks of the Rushikulya river , is a major centre of Shakti worship in
Odisha.
Dhanu Jatra : Odisha
● Dhanu Jatra or Dhanu Yatra is an annual drama-based open air theatrical
performance celebrated in Bargarh, Odisha.
● Spread across a 8 km radius area around the Bargarh municipality, it is the
world's largest open air theater , one that finds a mention in the Guinness
Book of World Records.
● It is based on the mythological story of Krishna (locally known as Krushna),
and his demon uncle Kansa .
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