Behdienkhlam Festival

Behdienkhlam

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Religious & SpiritualJowai
DatesDates TBA · Usually JulyCheck locally before booking
DurationSummerEstimate from available data
Crowd-Public scale varies
Best forCeremony, pilgrimageThe festival's centerpiece is not dance but
LanguageHindi, English, and local languagesCurrency: INR
CategoryReligious & SpiritualFestival type
The story

Behdienkhlam Festival in Jowai

Behdienkhlam is a monsoon-season festival of the Pnar (Jaintia) community, held each July in Jowai after the year's sowing is complete. Men build tall decorated wooden rots and carry them through town to drive away disease and invoke a good harvest, then immerse the structures in the muddy Aitnar pool, where a tug-of-war and the mud-football game Dad-lawakor follow.

Behdienkhlam takes its name from a Pnar phrase describing the driving out of a plague, and the festival Jowai holds each July, once the year's paddy has been sown, is built around that act of expulsion.
Your trip starts here
What is special

The part that makes it specific.

01

The place changes

The festival's centerpiece is not dance but the rot, a tall decorated wooden and bamboo structure that competing localities build and parade before immersing it in the Aitnar mud pool

02

The mystery stays covered

The immersion is followed by Dad-lawakor, a football match played in the same mud, whose result villagers read informally as a sign for the coming harvest

03

The city starts moving

Both the rot procession and the mud football are specific to Jowai's Pnar community and have no equivalent among neighboring Khasi festivals

Traditions & symbols

The language of the festival.

What moves first

Living ritual

The construction and procession of rival rot structures

Water and renewal

Living ritual

the ritual beating of house roofs with bamboo poles to expel sickness

The sacred route

Living ritual

the tug-of-war and immersion of the rots at Aitnar pool

The local code

Living ritual

and Dad-lawakor

Tradition 5

Living ritual

the mud football game whose outcome is read as an omen for the harvest

Before you go

Essential information

When to go

Dates TBA · Usually July

Getting around

Move patiently around ceremony routes and leave space for worshippers and participants.

What to wear

Old, washable clothing and waterproof or easily cleaned footwear are practical given the mud at Aitnar pool and monsoon rain in Jowai. Participants in the rot procession and Dad-lawakor wear...

Safety

Watch local behavior before photographing, filming, or entering sacred spaces.

Where to stay

Stay near the part of the city you will actually use, with a simple return route after the main event.

Tickets/cost

Public ritual moments are often free, but donations, transport, or temple access may vary.

Language/currency

INR

Family friendly

unknown

Interactive map25.44 N, 92.19 EOpen in Google Maps

Jowai, Meghalaya, India

Nearest airportZYL — Osmany
TransportMove patiently around ceremony routes and leave space for worshippers and participants.
Stay areaStay near the part of the city you will actually use, with a simple return route after the main event.

Your Trip Starts Here

External travel services to turn the plan into a trip — each opens in a new tab.

How to get thereRoutes, times and prices to Jowai via local transport.Search routesFind a place to stayStays near Jowai, close enough for the event-day route.Browse staysFind flightsCompare fares into the nearest practical airport for July.Compare faresFestival gearOld, washable clothing and waterproof or easily cleaned footwear are practical given the mud at Aitnar pool and monsoon rain in Jowai. Participants in the rot procession and Dad-lawakor wear simple everyday clothing suited to physical activity in mud, not ceremonial costume.Shop the kitCheck visa requirementsSee whether you need a visa for India and apply online.Check entry rulesTravel insuranceCover for trip hiccups, gear and health on the road.Get covered

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FAQ

Quick answers.

When is Behdienkhlam Festival?

Behdienkhlam Festival is listed for July · Summer. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.

Where does Behdienkhlam Festival take place?

The festival is listed in Jowai, India. The map coordinate is a planning reference, not a guarantee of a ticket gate or exact venue.

How long should I plan for?

Summer is the listed festival span. Add time for arrival, local transport, queues, and any route changes during the event.

Is a source linked?

Official source linked. Eventisimus separates source confidence from travel suggestions, so check final details before booking.

Where exactly is it?

Jowai, Meghalaya, India

Is it family friendly?

unknown

Sources and editorial review

About this guide

This guide is independently written by Eventisimus using publicly available information, official event and organiser sources where available, local tourism references, and additional editorial research. Eventisimus is not the official organiser of this festival and is not affiliated with it unless explicitly stated.

Festival dates, schedules, ticket conditions, access rules, and local arrangements can change. We aim to present useful and accurate information, but travelers should confirm important details with the official event source before booking transport, accommodation, or tickets.

Found something inaccurate or outdated? Email hello@eventisimus.com with the festival page link and the correction.

Official URLfestivalsofindia.in
Organizer accessAre you the organizer? Claim this listing →
SourceSource link available
Listed datesDates TBA · Usually July
Source statusOfficial source linked
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