The origin of this festival is steeped in myth and folklore, but the most common is the story of five deities in the form of four stones and a river nymph. These five deities wished for human beings to live with them and requested God to send some. One night they found four sisters along with their husbands and children halting in the forest, the five deities were overjoyed in obtaining the most coveted creation (humans) of God, that they started to dance. The humans were astounded and wanted to flee but the deities pleaded with them and assured them safety and prosperity if they settled in the land. Thus the four sisters namely Ka Bon, Ka Tein, Ka Wet, and Ka Doh stayed and became the ancestress of the famous So–Kpoh clan of Jowai. However, after more clans settled in Jowai there was a bad famine and the people of Jowai consulted their diety, U Mokhai who was the spokesperson of the other dieties. U Mokhai suggested that the people should hold the Behdeinkhlam festival after the sowing season, which normally falls in the month of July, to ward away famine. The festival continues for four days where many rituals and sacrifices are performed. One of the main rituals is the making of Dein Khlam, Symbud and Knong from trees cut from the forest and left to be carried the next day. On the second day the trees are brought to the various localities accompanied with the beating of drums, dancing and playing of flutes. These trees are made to stand erect in the localities and also in front of individual houses. On the fourth day the ritual cleansing of each house is carried out by the religious leaders and young men. The trees (Khnongs) are then thrown away. Another important feature is the making of colourful rots.

On the final day, in the afternoon, rots various localities are carried to be immersed in a pool of muddy water called ‘Ait Nar’. This is followed by the laying of two symbolic Khnongs(poles) in the pool. As soon as they are laid down the young men try to stand on the log and a wild melee of muddy humanity is seen dashing around the pool. After the rites are complete the rots are thrown into the nearby river. Later a ball, made of wood, is used to play a game resembling football, and the winning team is assured of a rich harvest. Similar festivals are held in different places in Jaintia Hills.