This is how Khasi people celebrate Nongkrem Dance festival amid COVID pandemic

Nongkrem Dance Festival is celebrated by the Khasis of Meghalaya.

The festival lasts for five days and is generally celebrated in the month of November.

It is celebrated in order to honour the Goddess 'Ka Blei Synshar' for blessing the people of the community with good harvest and prosperity.

Every year, it is held in the village of Smit, the capital of the Khyrim Syiemship (Khyrim Kingdom), which is approximately 11 kms from Shillong.

The festival also called 'Ka Pomblang' is basically the decapitation of goats since they are sacrificed as offerings to the ancestors.

The purpose of Nongkrem Dance is to seek blessings of Goddess 'Ka Blei Synshar' for a huge agricultural yield and welfare of the people.

The dance is usually performed by unmarried males and females in their most traditional and exotic attires.

The girls perform Ka Shad Kynthei in the inner circle of the arena, while the men, with swords in their right hand and usually a white Yak hair in their left hand, perform Ka Shad Mastieh in the outer circle, changing their pace to the beats of the drums and pipes (Tangmuri).