Why in the News?
The Behdienkhlam Festival of Pnar (Jaintia) community in Meghalaya was recently celebrated.
About Behdienkhlam Festival:
- Cultural Role: Major religious and cultural festival of the Pnar (Jaintia) community in Meghalaya.
- Location: Four-day festival held in Jowai, West Jaintia Hills.
- Meaning: Means driving away the plague or evil.
- Timing: Celebrated in mid-July after sowing season.
- Purpose: Prayers for a good harvest and community cleansing.
- Faith: Observed mainly by followers of the Niamtre religion.
- Women’s Role: Women offer food to ancestors but do not dance in rituals.
Key Features:
- Rituals: Dolois perform rites to drive away disease and evil.
- Symbolic Act: Youth beat rooftops with bamboo sticks to expel evil.
- Rots: 30–40 ft decorated bamboo structures with social themes.
- Khnong Ritual: Teams pull a large wooden beam and immerse it in mud.
- Dad-Lawakor: Traditional football-like game predicting harvest success.
- Celebrations: Mass dancing at Wah Aitnar pool with drums and pipes.
| [UPSC 2012] Chapchar Kut is a festival celebrated in the state of:
Options: (a) Arunachal Pradesh (b) Assam (c) Mizoram* (d) Sikkim |
