Nongkrem Dance festival concludes at Smit village

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaNovember 2, 2023

An ancient Nongkrem dance festival of the Khasi tribals ended at Smit, amidst pomp, joy and faithful fervour.

Similar to all other indigenous festivals of tribals in the state, the festival is performed to appease the all-powerful Goddess, Ka Blei Synshar, for a rich bumper harvest and prosperity of the people.

The five-day long religious festival takes 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 performs 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).

As 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 a 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.

Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Home (Police), PWD (R&B) etc Prestone Tynsong attended the festival and said the dance symbolises the rich cultural heritage and cultural identity of the state.

“I am so happy to be part of this dance once again. I wish the King and his team the very best and a grand success on the occasion of the Nongkrem dance,” he said,

Tynsong was accompanied by cabinet minister Shakliar Warjri and chief secretary DP Wahlang

Among other guests were KHADC chief Pyniaid Sing Syiem, his deputy Pynshngainlang N Syiem and adviser to the education department Himalaya Shangpliang.

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.”

“What we hope is another good year when we continue the ritual as in the years before right from our ancestor who had founded the state of Hima Khyrim with great Godly favour for the betterment of our administration and for the people at large to have peace and abundance in life,” he said.