Beh-Diengkhlam Festival of the Jaintias......

Few days back the "Synteng " or the Jaintia people celebrated their festival called the Beh-deing khlam .The Beh-dieng Khlam festival takes place annually at Jowai and else where in Jainita Hills usually in the month of June-July. "Khlam" is the khasi word for plague or pestilence and Beh-dieng khlam means driving away the plague with sticks. It is a ritual carried down the generations usually among the non christian group of the society, where the male of the family calls upon the plague demon to leave his house. The later part of the festival usually sees a lot of dancing and merry making by the younger generation .....in order to show the win over the demon and also a prayer to the Almighty for a fruitful year ahead.