SHILLONG:
The Shad Suk Mynsiem, or ‘dance of the peaceful hearts’, concluded at Weiking grounds, Jaiaw Laitdom, in the presence of several thousand attendee, including elders from the Seng Khasi Kmie, prominent state leaders and bureaucrats and participants of various ages.
People from various parts of the state flocked to the Weiking grounds to participate in the year’s festivities and pay homage to the creator and ancestors for their bounties, in all aspects of their lives, through dance and music.
Both men and women, of different ages, occupied the premises clad in their rich dance attires and ornaments made of gold, silver and corals as they moved to the harmonious beat of the traditional instruments. The men, according to Khasi traditions and culture, are the protectors, and danced in the outer circle, with sword and whisk in hand, in clockwise and anticlockwise directions, while the women, who are considered to be chaste and pure, danced in the inner circle.
Throughout the three-day festival, the musicians, who have honed their musical talent for ages, and are quite adept, were seen and heard performing a variety of tunes, to which the dancers moved in harmony.
According to Paia B Synrem, Assistant General Secretary of Seng Khasi Kmie, “This dance with its origins in 1911, due to the pandemic was not a large celebration the previous year. Hence, this year, we the organisers and elders, are content that this auspicious occasion has seen so much footfall as it also happens to be the 100th year of celebration.”
He added, “this is one of the largest dances to have taken place at Weiking grounds so far as 1196 dancers — 618 men and 578 women — came forward to participate in this year’s festivities and we feel grateful that the youth, from across the state, have not forgotten the ‘riti and dustur’ or rights and customs that those before us have left for us to follow”.
“We first and foremostly are thankful to God, the creator, who has given us the chance to hold this annual celebration these three days. We are also thankful to the people in charge of our district and the state government for giving us the required permissions to organise a celebration of this magnitude and also to the dancers, musicians and guests who were in attendance these three days,” said Synrem.
The three-day event concluded with the setting of the sun on the grounds following which hundreds of people proceeded in unison to the Seng Khasi Hall, Mawkhar where the festivity had kicked off on April 9.