Behdeinkhlam Festival 2025: Jowai in Meghalaya Prays for Prosperity and Good Health

The sacred Behdeinkhlam festival recently took place with exhilaration in Jowai, Meghalaya. This annual event is important to the Pnars, a tribal group from Meghalaya. The festival takes place in July and consists of prayers for a good harvest and the dispelling of diseases and evil from society. It also helps them keep their traditional faith alive.

An Event With Deep Meaning

Behdeinkhlam literally means ‘driving away the plague’, which signifies the importance of the festival in protecting people from illness, especially after the sowing season. For the Pnars, one of the subtribes of the Jaintia community, this festival is not just tradition, but a method of holding onto their old religion, Niamtre.

Rituals and Sacred Events

The festival goes on for three days and during this time men perform dances and rituals while the women prepare and feed the spirits of their ancestors. One of the most important parts of the festival is the rolling of the important wooden post, or Symbud Khnong, around the township and placing it at a certain place to keep away evil spirits.

Unique Game/Activity with Relevant Social Messages

One of the most interesting aspects of the Behdeinkhlam festival is the football-like game called, Dad-lawakor that takes place at Mynthong. Over the years, the festival has also become a platform to issue social messages to avoid drug-use and alcohol abuse; also to highlight awareness on climate change. These events indicate how our traditional ceremonies and events are going along way to get helpful progressive messages out to the community.