Shad Suk Mynsiem Wraps Up in Splendour
Over 1,500 dancers turned Weiking Ground into a living tapestry of culture and rhythm during the Shad Suk Mynsiem – the Khasi New Year festival.
If you happened to hear a rhythmic thunder of drums, the mellifluous call of the tangmuri, and the chiming of over a thousand anklets in perfect harmony over the weekend, fear not — it wasn’t an elaborate Khasi flash mob or a very determined school band. It was, in fact, the grand finale of the 114th edition of Shad Suk Mynsiem — the “Dance of Peaceful Hearts” — drawing to a close at the Weiking Ground on Monday with enough grace, gratitude, and generational gumption.
Held annually in April, this elegant extravaganza marks the Khasi New Year — a time for giving thanks, seeking blessings, and busting a few sacred moves. Starting with the ceremonial Ngi Nohkjat on Saturday, the festival crescendoed like a well-rehearsed symphony, culminating on Monday in a visual spectacle of synchronised serenity. And synchronised they were — if one had dropped a pin, it would’ve chimed along in key.
The numbers tell a rather cheerful tale — 370 dancers swayed onto the field on Day One, 579 joined in on Sunday, and by Monday, the count had ballooned to a rather staggering 1,517 dancers. Quite frankly, if any more turned up, one suspects the Weiking Ground might have started groaning under the sheer weight of cultural pride.
And before you trot out the tired trope of “Oh, the youth these days have no time for tradition,” you might want to have a word with PD Nongrum, the vice-president of Seng Khasi Kmie. Brimming with optimism and the sort of pride normally reserved for great-aunties at weddings, he declared: “Not only are more young people dancing, but they’re bringing new energy.” Which is saying something — teenagers voluntarily swapping smartphones for swords? That’s practically revolutionary.
The field was a sight to behold — women glided in regal silk, adorned in gold, silver, and coral, like living, breathing heirlooms. At the heart of it all, they danced — a tribute to the matrilineal soul of Khasi society, where women are not just the backbone but the entire spinal column of lineage. Meanwhile, the men circled them, wielding swords and arrows in their finest traditional wear, looking ready to protect and defend — or perhaps just impress their grandmothers.
On the sidelines, dignitaries watched the proceedings with due reverence and the occasional dab of sweat — Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, Tourism and Arts & Culture Minister Paul Lyngdoh, Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh, and a smattering of other VIPs who probably hadn’t seen this much rhythmic footwork since their last election campaign.
As the sun dipped over Shillong and the final anklet chimed its farewell, one couldn’t help but feel that Shad Suk Mynsiem is not just a festival — it’s a heartbeat. A heartbeat that thumps proudly to the rhythm of heritage, harmony, and just a pinch of heavenly choreography.
And if that’s not reason enough to do a little jig of your own, one simply doesn’t know what is.
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