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| KHONG
KEPANG KENNYU |
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| Celebrated In
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Assam |
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| Significance :
A ceremony connected with
the First Harvesting of the Ripening Paddy. |
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A Harvest Festival
The ceremony connected with first harvesting of the ripening paddy is called
'Khong Kepang Kennyu'. It is one of the most important ceremonies connected
with agriculture. Without the observance of this ceremony no harvesting of the
new paddy takes place. |
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The Ritual
An old woman of the village goes to the paddy field, from which the first
harvesting of new rice is to be done at dawn. She takes with her some food and
rice beer, which she offers, to the spirit of the crops in the field. After the
offering she cuts down some rice ears and carries the ears in the basket to the
village. At night she eats the new rice after cooking. The villagers may start
reaping their paddy from the next day. The ceremony is similar to the Assamese
new rice harvesting ceremony called 'Lakhimi Ana'. But the Lakhimi Ana ceremony
is connected with the individual family while the 'Khong Kepang Kennyu' is
connected with the village. Secondly, the new rice, brought ceremoniously, is
not consumed by the Assamesse people on the very night. It is, on the other
hand, kept stored in the granary.
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