Behdienkhlam
behdienkhlam festival celebrated primarily pnar people meghalaya india festival celebrated annually july important dance festival jaintia people festival invocation god warding evil spirit disease blessing good harvest behdienkhlam derived two pnar language word behdein meaning drive away khlam meaning disease festival intended celebrate chasing away demon cholera response eradication cholera disease festival celebrated pnar people meghalaya largest festival practitioner niam tre religion dedicated good harvest year plenty biggest behdienkhlam festivity conducted jowai west jaintia hill district tuber kmai jaintia hill festival celebrated annually july sowing season important dance festival festival meant serve invocation god wading bad spirit disease seek blessing good harvest people pray deity u mukhai mulong mooralong musniang festival men make symbolic gesture driving away evil spirit disease beating roof house bamboo pole leading religious figure community known daloi perform religious rite offering ancestor clan ritual known cher iung blai conducted male tribal member enter newly built thatched hut grass bamboo spear kill demon inside symbolically game similar football called dadlawakor played wooden ball another traditional game played iatanbhang tussle two opposing group people large stripped wooden log waheitnar muddy trench participant smearing mud one another polished log wood bamboo building taken neighborhood plunged aitnar central pool mud last day festival people dress dance drum around aitnar woman participate dancing offer sacrificial food spirit forefather