The CM of Meghalaya recently inaugurated a newly developed cultural and tourism amenities at Lum Pomblang and Madan Syiem in Smit, aimed at enhancing the Nongkrem Dance festival and ensuring the preservation of tribal cultural heritage.

About the Festival

• The Nongkrem Dance Festival, known locally as ‘Ka Pomblang Nongrem’, is the most important annual thanksgiving celebration of the Khasi tribe of Meghalaya. 
• It is a five-day religious event held during autumn at Smit, the traditional cultural center of the Khasi Hills and the capital of the Hima Khyrim (Khasi State/Kingdom).
• Deity and Purpose: The festival is performed to appease the Goddess Ka Blei Synshar (Goddess of fertility and prosperity) for a rich bumper harvest and the overall welfare of the people.
• Central Ritual: A key part of the ceremony is the Pomblang (goat sacrifice) ritual, performed by the Syiem (Chief/King) and the high priest, involving offerings to the ancestors of the ruling clan and the deity of Shillong Peak (Lei Shyllong).

The Dance and Matrilineal Ethos

The dance performance, known as ‘Shad Nongkrem’, is a vibrant spectacle that reflects the Khasi people’s unique cultural and social values:

• The Dancers: The dance is performed by young unmarried Khasi girls (Ka Shad Kynthei) and energetic young men (Ka Shad Mastieh).
• Costumes and Symbolism:
  • Girls wear elaborate, heavily decked traditional pure Silk ‘Jainsem’ (Toga-like garment), adorned with gold and silver ornaments, symbolizing purity and grace.
  • Men wear a silk dhoti, an embroidered waistcoat, and carry a sword and a symbolic bow and arrows (representing protection and traditional hunting activity).
• Matrilineal Reflection: The women dance in the inner circle, moving slowly and gracefully, while the men form a protective outer circle with energetic, rhythmic movements. 
  • This arrangement symbolically reinforces the matrilineal family society of the Khasi community, where women play a central role in lineage and inheritance, but men serve as protectors. 
  • The Ka Syiem Sad (eldest sister of the Syiem) plays a key ceremonial role, presiding over the rituals.

Exam hook: Prelims Question

Q. Which of the following statements correctly describes the Nongkrem Dance Festival of Meghalaya?

1. It is a harvest festival celebrated by the Garo tribe, with the primary ritual involving a ritualistic buffalo sacrifice.
2. The festival is performed to appease the Goddess Ka Blei Synshar and reflects the unique matrilineal social structure of the Khasi community.
3. The dance involves only male performers who are armed with swords and shields, signifying their martial tradition.

1. A) 1 only                  B) 2 only
2. C) 1 and 3 only       D) 2 and 3 only

Correct Answer: B) 2 only. (Statement 1 is incorrect; it is celebrated by the Khasi tribe and involves a goat sacrifice (Pomblang). Statement 3 is incorrect; the dance involves both unmarried women and men.)

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