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Our Correspondent
Diphu, Jan. 5 (EMN): 'Rongker,' an annual ritual festival of the Karbis was observed in most of the Karbi villages of Karbi Anglong on Thursday.
On account of 'Rongker,' the authority of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) also gave restricted holiday on Thursday.
The Rongker ritual is performed every year to protect oneself from evils and sicknesses in the village seeking the mercy of Hemphu, the almighty so that everyone can cultivate and prosper.
It is during Rongker that all the misfortunes and hardships are believed to be buried. The elderly men of the villages assisted by youths perform Rongker by offering animal sacrifice to Hemphu, Mukrang and Rasinja, Karbi deities, and other local deities.
At Rongchingri village of Diphu town, Rongker was performed at Rongker adovan (Rongker ground). Around 7 in the morning, the elder men and youths gathered at Rongker ground, where the Kurusar, traditional priests, started preparing dovan – raised blocks of mud as altars for offering sacrifice.
The Kurusars wearing new clothes (seleng) sat in front of dovans to perform the animal sacrifice. Before the sacrifice was made the Kurusars invoke the names of Hemphu, Mukrang, Rasinja and other local deities.
Mensing Engti offered sacrifice to Hemphu, Mukrang and Rasinja by offering a fowl for each deities, while Inglongkiri was performed by Kensing Tisso with a fowl and a goat, for Diphu then was offered a fowl and a goat by Khoyasing Ronghang, for Rong Anglong was offered by Borsing Teron with a fowl and hen, for lokhi was offered with a white fowl by Saransing Timung and for murti was offered with two fowls by Baliram Engti.
Sarthe Teron village also performed Rongker to offer sacrificial worship to Hemphu, Mukrang and Rasinja. Traditional priests performed the animal sacrifices.
Artungso, Rongchingdon village, Upper Dillaji with 45 families also observed Rongker by offering animal sacrifices.
At Joysing Teron village, 114 families joined to observe Rongker by offering animal sacrifices to the deities.