SHILLONG, NOV 2: The five-day Shad Nongkrem, the traditional dance festival of the Khasi community, concluded on Monday at Iing Sad in Smit, the erstwhile capital of Hima Khyrim, about 15 km from Shillong, celebrating the community’s rich cultural heritage and age-old traditions.
The annual festival, performed to seek blessings from Ka Blei Synshar for a bountiful harvest and prosperity, commenced with the sacred Pomblang Nongkrem ceremony. During the ritual, the Syiem of Khyrim and the high priest offered a goat sacrifice to propitiate Lei Shyllong, the deity associated with Shillong Peak, and honour the ancestors of the Syiem clan.
The religious ceremony was followed by colourful traditional dances, with young unmarried women dressed in vibrant Khasi attire and young men in traditional regalia, carrying swords and yak-hair chowries, performing to the rhythmic beats of drums and the sounds of the tangmuri.
The festival grounds also transformed into a vibrant fair, with stalls showcasing traditional handicrafts and local delicacies, attracting visitors from across the region as well as domestic and international tourists.
Presiding over the festival in his royal regalia, Syiem of Hima Khyrim Dr Balajied S. Syiem emphasised the importance of preserving ancestral traditions amid changing times.
He said the Hima had continued to nurture and preserve the rich legacy of traditional dances inherited from their ancestors, stressing the urgent need to safeguard cultural roots in the modern world.
Highlighting financial constraints, he expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Tourism for extending financial assistance over the past decade and expressed hope that the grant would be enhanced, while seeking greater support from the Centre.
Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar, who attended the concluding day, praised the growing popularity of Shad Nongkrem and the participation of people from Nongkrem and neighbouring villages.
He also appreciated the improved infrastructure at the festival venue and thanked Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma for his continued support to Hima Khyrim.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to religious harmony, Dhar said the state extended support to all religious denominations and communities, regardless of their faith or celebrations.
“Whether it is Christmas or any other religious festival, we are always behind our people. We want all religions to flourish. The uniqueness of Meghalaya is that Christians respect non-Christians and non-Christians respect Christians,” he said.
Health Minister Wailadmiki Shylla, MDCs and other dignitaries were also present at the festival.
