Nongkrem Dance Festival concludes with call to safeguard traditional ‘roots’

 

SHILLONG, Nov 07: The age old Nongkrem Dance Festival of the Khasi tribe ended here at Smit, the headquarters and capital of the erstwhile Khasi state, amidst pomp, joy and faithful fervour on Thursday.
Similar to all other indigenous festivals of the tribals in the State, the festival is performed to appease the all-powerful Goddess, Ka Blei Synshar, for a bumper harvest and prosperity of the people.
The five-day long religious festival took place at the ‘Iing Sad’ (thatched palace), the royal abode of the Syiem Sad, Queen Mother or High Priestess of the state of Khyrim.
The Syiem (King) of Khyrim along with the high priest performed the Pomblang ceremony, where a goat is sacrificed to appease the Lei Shyllong; the God of Shillong Peak and also to the ancestors and ancestress of the ruling clan. The religious part of the festival precedes dances, in which unmarried girls in all their exotic costumes participate.

 

Attired in their majestic and traditional regalia, young men also take to the dancing arena in front of the Iing Sad. They hold swords and white Yak hair whisks in their hands, keeping time to the changing beats of drums and haunting tunes of the tangmuri (pipes).
People come from all over the State of Khyrim, little markets spring up in the field outside the Iing Sad compound adding to the revelry. Dressed in their best, people throng the dancing arena and the adjoining hills where a colourful fair, featuring local handicrafts and delicacies is held on the occasion every year. Over the years, the Nongkrem Dance has been attracting large number of tourists, both domestic and foreign.
Attired in his majestic regalia, the Syiem (King) of Khyrim, Dr. Balajied Syiem presided over the festival.
Meghalaya Governor, Tathagata Roy attended the festival for the first time on Thursday. “This is the first time that I am coming to the Nongkrem Dance. This is an incredible scene, it is beautiful. I also wish I could go to Garo Hills to see the Wangala festival,” Roy told reporters.
Shillong MP, Vincent H. Pala said, “This kind of festival will help people to unite and know each other and at the same time remind us of our culture.”

Earlier, Dr Balajied S Syiem said,  “We have preserved and nurtured the rich legacy of the traditional dances bequeathed to us by our ancestors. As inheritors of this cultural heritage, there is an urgent need to safeguard our roots, despite the changes witnessed in the modern days all over the world.”
The Syiem further stated that the Ministry of Tourism has extended financial support for the last three to four years to enable the Hima to improve the facilities like better sitting arrangement and also better facility for the dancers. The Hima is also seeking financial support from the state government to improve the road condition leading to the venue to further promote the Nongkrem dance, which is one of the most important festivals in the region, said the Syiem.
Among other guests present were Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong, Chairman of State Planning Board, Lambor Malngiang, KHADC Chief, Teinwell Dkhar and his Deputy, Pyniaid Sing Syiem, MLAs and MDCs.