Jaintia Hills gears up for the biggest Behdeinkhlam Festival organized by Seinraij Tuber

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJuly 13, 2023

The biggest Behdeinkhlam festival in the Jaintia Hills is celebrated annually by Seinraij Tuber, the largest religious organization in the region. The festival will begin on July 14 and conclude on July 17 at Tuber Kmaishnong village in East Jaintia Hills District.

Seinraij Tuber president Harvis Phawa informed during a media briefing on Wednesday.

During the festival, a colorful display of 64 Rots or Raths (paper monuments) will be witnessed at the Biar Blai, a sacred pool. These Rots will be brought by faithful members of the Niamtre faith from various parts of East Jaintia Hills and West Jaintia Hills, representing 30 villages.

Behdeinkhlam is a religious festival organized annually by Seinraij Tuber, the religious organization representing the traditional faith of ‘Niamtre.’ The festival aims to drive away plagues, which encompass various diseases, misfortune, famine, natural disasters, and evil spirits that threaten life and property.

The important rituals of the festival include ‘Knia Ryngkaw,’ an offering to the Goddess who guards over the Raij, performed by the Priest or ‘Longdoh,’ assisted by religious elders at Mukoi Ryngkaw. Other rituals include ‘Rah Bhang Blai’ and ‘Choh Thyndai’, which will be performed on Day 3, July 16. On the first and second days, the faithful from Phangwah village in the South and Phangnein village in the North exchange greetings and perform rituals together.

The last day of the festival features the “Beh Khlam” ritual, which takes place early in the morning. During this ritual, hundreds of members of Sein Raij at Tuber hold sticks (similar to long fishing rods) and run from West to East in the village, beating anything in their way to drive away plagues.

The last two rituals performed before and after immersing all the Rots brought to sacred pool are ‘Ka Iatan Bhang Blai,’ similar to a tug-of-war game, and ‘Iaslait,’ similar to wrestling. In ‘Ka Iatan Bhang Blai,’ a group representing Phang Nein from the North competes against Phangwah from the South. It is believed that if Phang Nein wins the game, the northern part of Raij Tuber will be more fertile.

Moreover, Harvis Phawa, on behalf of Seinraij Tuber, extends an invitation to everyone to witness the cultural richness of the Jaintia Hills, promoting unity and fostering equal respect for other religious faiths.