Traditions of Meghalaya

One of the seven sisters, Meghalaya is a beautiful hill state located in the northeast region of India. Meghalaya means the “abode of clouds” and is one of the most popular tourist spots in the country. The state’s economy is largely dependent on the tourism department. The rest of the country knows the place for receiving the highest amount of rainfall among all other states of India. 

However, most people living in the mainland are unaware of the rich culture and tradition that the state possesses. This place is full of many interesting tribes and the different customs that they follow. 

People of Meghalaya

The state is home to three different tribes known as the Khasi, Garo and Jaintia, among which the first two are popular ones. There are some other groups also like the Koch, Hajong, Boro, Rajbangshi, Rabha, to name a few. Other than the tribes, people of Bengali, Marwadi, Nepali and Assamese communities also reside here. 

70% of the people are followers of Christianity. The remaining 30% comprises of Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains. The capital city Shillong has people from different communities, tribes and religions, while the remaining are mostly occupied by the major and minor tribes mentioned above. 

Culture of Meghalaya

The Khasis and Jaintias are descendants of the Mongolians whereas the Garos belong to the Tibeto-Burman race. The tradition which makes the people of Meghalaya unique is the matrilineal system. This system is almost unknown to the rest of the country. In this unique system, the women of society inherit all the belonging and are the head of the family. This highlights the status of women in Meghalaya which is way different than women in other parts of the country. 

An important part of their culture is dance. The dance forms vary from one region to another but still possess a universal culture. The Khasi community celebrates a number of festivals, few of which are Ka Shad Suk Mynsiem, Shad Beh Sier, Ka Pom-Blang Nongkrem and Umsan Nongkharai. 

The Jaintias celebrate festivals in the belief that such celebrations will bring the man and his culture close to the natural environment. 

People in the state believe that celebrations are a way to unite and bring the good spirit in the population. 

Costumes and Art

Jainsem is the traditional wear of Khasi women. It is a single piece of cloth wrapped in a criss-cross manner across the shoulders and it is paired with a blouse. Dakmanda is a short piece of unstitched cotton cloth worn around the waist by the Garo women. Jaintia women wear blouses paired with sarong which is known as Thoh Khyrwang. 

The traditional wear of the men includes a headgear or turban and a dhoti which is stitched. 

Talking about the art and craft, the tribes are known for their skills in weaving. They weave a variety of things starting from dresses, bedsheets, tablecloths to cane mats, baskets, stools and many more. 

Traditions of Meghalaya

The different communities have varied customs and traditions. In these tribes, the woman proposes for marriage to the man and the marriages are supposed to follow two laws namely Exogamy and Akim. Going by these laws, one is not allowed to marry someone from another clan even after the death of the spouse. Marriage in the same clan is allowed after divorce or death of the spouse. Women are allowed to marry their nephews on the death of their husbands. Similarly, the husband is allowed to marry one of his wife’s sisters. 

The original religious system of the people is a mix of Hinduism and Pantheism. Many of them worship the stones while some worship mother nature. They also believe in reconciling spirits during some religious festivals by offering sacrifices. 

This is just a small part of the rich culture of the people of Meghalaya. One should definitely visit the state and learn more about the people to know the unique systems they follow. 

You may also like Nongkrem Dance Festival of Meghalaya.