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Every year, the people of Meghalaya celebrate a number of different festivals with traditional music, dance and food. These celebrations are an important part of life for many residents in this northeastern state and occur across the country with regional variations. While residents of Meghalaya have adopted many festival celebrations from surrounding regions, they have also retained many of their own traditional festivals that may be hard to find elsewhere in India. Wangala, an agricultural festival that occurs in the summer months, is one of the most important traditional festivals celebrated in Meghalaya and one of the largest.
Festivals of meghalaya
Although Meghalaya gets some rain on a regular basis throughout the year, it is typically a dry and warm area. This means that the primary appeal for visiting festivals here is typically the music and dance involved, rather than any special culinary traditions or celebrations.
Some of the most famous festivals of Meghalaya are :
1. Shad Suk Mynsiem
2. Nongkrem Festival
3. Behdienkhlam Festival
4. Shad Sukra
5. Wangala Festival
6. Strawberry Festival
1. Shad Suk Mynsiem
Shad Suk Mynsiem is a celebration held by the Khasi tribe of Meghalaya on January 6th to celebrate the growth in the days of Winter. The festival marks the beginning of another year, with people wishing one another “Shad Sukmynsem”, meaning “have a good year”. Celebrations include feasts, community gatherings and performances by local musicians.
2. Nongkrem Festival
The Nongkrem Festival is one of the most important festivals for the traditional Khasi tribe in Meghalaya. It is the largest festival among several traditional festivals of Meghalaya. Nongkrem is one of the biggest and most picturesque festivals celebrated by the local people at their family homesteads in Shillong, East Khasi Hills, West Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills districts. At this time of the year, elders from different tribes meet after a long time and sing melodious songs. In some places of East Khasi hills where English is spoken, it is called “New Year’s Day”.
3. Behdienkhlam Festival
Behdienkhlam is one of the most famous festivals in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills districts of Meghalaya. It celebrates the victory of a husband over his wife. Still, unlike other traditional Meghalaya festivals, this festival is a family affair with relatives and friends gathering in each household to celebrate. The festival lasts for three days, and during this period, the family members become united under one roof by family ties.
4. Shad Sukra
Shad Sukra festival of Meghalaya, another popular festival among the Khasi tribe of Meghalaya, is celebrated to mark the end of Winter and is a complete contrast to the Shad Suk Mynsiem. It was believed that spirits caused pestilence and epidemics during the Winter. Hence, people offered prayers at temples to cure their sick relatives back then. But, nowadays, people celebrate this festival for fun and joy.
This festival is held in various parts of Meghalaya on different dates, as per the moon’s phases.
5. Wangala Festival aka Garo Wangala Festival
Wangala, another traditional Khasi festival of Meghalaya, is held in the summer months to celebrate and honour the goddess Marang Buru. The goddess is said to be the protector of children, food and the family. The festival is a public holiday in Meghalaya. One of the major attractions of the festival is bamboo climbing competitions, bullfighting and boat races.
The Khasi New year begins with a prayer for the well-being of the self, family and the community. After that, each household has to perform various rituals and do various prayers to please the goddess Marang Buru. Among the numerous rituals observed during the Wangala festival is the death ritual of a six-month-old infant boy, “Jaintia” (Sarung Bong), who is sacrificed on the cold nights of Winter. This ceremony is followed by many other sacrifices of animals and sharing of food with people in need.
6. Strawberry Festival
The Strawberry Festival is celebrated by the Kukis of Manipur, who live in and around Sylhet, Bangladesh. Meghalaya has also adopted this festival as part of its culture. The festivals are held on December 21st every year.
Other festivals
Bihu, which is celebrated across all of Assam and in Brahmaputra Valley, is observed in the state by celebrating this festival with ample enthusiasm and vigour. The festival is a five-day celebration spanning from mid-April to mid-May. The first day of the festival is the most significant with people having a long journey to return home, and the last day is marked as an important day for children during which they do not go to school.
The Bhogali Bihu, or Hogali Bihu, is one of the unique festivals in Meghalaya. It is known as Hogali because it marks a religious festival for the Kuki tribe of Assam and North Bengal.
Conclusion
Most of the festivals in Meghalaya are unique and run in their own style. A number of these festivals have been adopted by other parts of India as well, giving them a distinct Meghalaya feel.
The Wangala festival is mainly celebrated by the Khasis, who inhabit the Khasi Hills. The festival is short, festive and colourful with colourful cultural performances, traditional dances, songs and games. The Wangala festival is also called as ‘Garo Wangala’. It is the biggest festival in Meghalaya. In the Garoland, every family has its own Wangala celebration. It marks the beginning of a Khasi New Year.
