"Pyngrei" ka dei ka jinglehniam leh rukom kum ha kaba pynïapoikha ïa ka mynsiem jong kiba ïap samla (kynthei bad shynrang) ha ka por miet (khamtam shiteng synñia) shuwa ban leit thep ïa ki shyieng sha u mawbah.
Ki khot ar ngut ki kynja tymmen, ki ai da ka nong ïa u shynrang bad ïa ka kynthei. Uta u shynrang un long u tnga ïa ka suidïap kynthei bad ka kynthei kan long ka tnga ïa u suidïap shynrang. Nangta ki pynïaknieh bam ïa ka ja snaïap bad ki pynryngkang thlong ïa u shynrang bad pynryngkang synrei ïa ka kynthei.
Ïa kane ka jinglehniam kim ju leh shuh mynta ha kine ki por.
"Pyngrei" is a ritual of the indigenous Khasi faith in which the spirits of a single man and a single woman are married. The ritual is usually performed at night, especially during midnight, before the bones are placed into "u mawbah", which are the monoliths used as bone chambers or bone depository of a clan. An elderly man and an elderly woman are hired to be in the ritual. The man will be the husband for the female spirit and the woman will be wife for the male spirit. They are made to contend for rice meant for the spirits, with the man jumping over the traditional mortar and the woman jumping over the traditional pestle.
This ritual is not performed anymore in the present day.
Rituals at the time of death or at a funeral form an interesting and unique aspect of many communities in the world. "Pyngrei" is one such Khasi practice that bridges life and death. In a way, what could not be completed in life, is completed in death. Khublei Shibun @duwaki9 for helping to know more about this practice 😄🙏 🟡 English translation by @speakyourroots