BY THE EDITOR
Behdeińkhlam Festival is the most famous, very much beautiful and the biggest religious festival of the Pnars (Jaintia). The name Behdeinkhlam means chasing far, far away the plague and its evil effects so that people can live in peace and harmony all the year round. At the same time people pray to God Almighty for His abundant blessings entreating that they will grow and prosper materially and spiritually. Behdeinkhlam is a long, straight and smooth timber that is well-cleaned and shaped which symbolically represents the plague to be eliminated and rooted out. As an added attraction the carpenters and artisans design beautiful structures depicting different wonderful sights of wide varieties. This year the festival at Jowai will be held during 6-9 July and to ensure that the town is clean and healthy; the High Court of Meghalaya has asked Municipal Board as well as state administration to make greater efforts in keeping Jowai clean and beautiful. They have also been instructed to maintain sufficient number of vehicles in ensuring that waste does not overflow on the road, streets or into residences.
It is traditionally stated that after population grew and became economically better off people felt that they should give thanks to the Lord and hence the need for proper form of worship. At times there occurred deadly diseases and plagues claiming quite number of human lives which served as warning to humans that they should not forget to offer gratitude and sacrifices to God. Thus meeting of four Lyngdohs (Priests) of Jowai, Shyrmang, Tuber and Mukhla was convened resulting in Behdeinkhlam religious festival which became an annual event. After Lyngdoh of Mukhla left his placed was filled up by Lyngdoh of Ialong. Only males can take part in the religious dance and the place where they participate is very muddy. This is a sign of expressing that humans are all equal in the eye of God and they usually take some intoxicating drinks within the limit whereas females dress well and come out in best attires.
On final day all the beautiful different structures made by indigenous people from various places of Jaintia Hills as well as outside will be thrown out or immersed at a special place called aitnar in Jowai. After that there will be a game resembling soccer but the ball used is made of wood and players play bare-footed. The place is in open public road stretching from beyond Mynthong locality to the Deputy Commissioner’s premises, Jowai and the two teams are North Jowai and South Jowai where number of players is unlimited. Instead of regular goal posts there is small and well-designated hole or place so that whoever scores first is declared a winner. Significant of the game is that either the North or the South wins then paddies and agricultural crops of that particular region will flourish better.