Khasi Tribe’s Seng Khihlang Festival Concluded in Wahiajer, Meghalaya

The 34th Seng Khihlang festival, Concluded in Wahiajer, Meghalaya which had been started in Wahiajer since April 19, 2024. 

Seng Khihlang festival 

• The Seng Khihlang festival holds immense significance for believers who follow the Khasi Indigenous Faith. It is a time of unity and celebration, and is under the stewardship of the Seng Khasi Sein Raij. The festival provides a unifying platform for all Khasi Indigenous Faith adherents.
• At the heart of the festival is the symbolic exchange of the Monolith, a cherished tradition that symbolizes the enduring spirit of unity among believers. This year, the event was held in Wahiajer, where the revered Monolith was received from Seng Khasi Shaid Shaid, located in West Khasi Hills.
• As the year comes to a close, the Monolith serves as a symbol of the faith, culture, and community that define Seng Khihlang.

About Khasi people

• The Khasi people are an indigenous ethnic group residing in the eastern part of Meghalaya, in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills of north-eastern India. 
• They also have a significant population in the bordering state of Assam and in certain parts of Bangladesh. 
• The Khasis occupying the northern lowlands and foothills are generally called Bhois, while those who live in the southern tracts are termed Wars. Khasis residing in Jaintia hills are now better known as Jaintias or Pnars.
• The Khasi people live in the eastern part of Meghalaya which is the majority of people, and are the largest community in the state with about 48% of the population of Meghalaya.
• The Khasi society is divided into several clans and is matrilineal, meaning that descent is traced through the mother, but the father plays an important role in the material and mental life of the family. In the Khasi society, only the youngest daughter or “Ka Khadduh” is eligible to inherit the ancestral property.
• The Khasi people speak Khasi, which is a member of the Khasic group of Austroasiatic languages. 
• While the Khasi are now mostly Christian, before that, they believed in a supreme being, the Creator – U Blei Nongthaw, and in many deities of water and mountains and other natural objects.