Wangala at 50: Chibragre readies 1,000 drummers for Nov 11-14 fest

Preparations for the 50th Hundred Drums Wangala Festival are in their final stretch at the Wangala A·dam, the A·chik heritage village at Chibragre near Tura. The golden jubilee edition of the Garo post-harvest festival runs from Wednesday, November 11, to Saturday, November 14.

West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Vibhor Aggarwal inspected the venue on Saturday, November 7, and told reporters the district administration was satisfied with how the work was going, The Shillong Times reported. He said the administration was reviewing preparations together with the Wangala Committee and several government departments.

Money, roads and a helipad

Aggarwal said the state government had set aside more than Rs 5.5 crore for the golden jubilee, and that most of it had already been released to the Wangala Committee. He credited Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma for the backing, which he said also covered infrastructure, VIP arrangements, traffic management and parking.

The Public Works Department is finishing new entry and exit roads to the venue and a helipad for VVIP guests. Aggarwal said those works were close to completion.

A Guinness World Records team is expected to attend and document the gathering, the deputy commissioner said. Tura's Assistant Director of Tourism, Bulbully S Marak, also thanked the state government for its support.

What the four days hold

At a press conference in Shillong on November 4, festival committee chairman Ronald Rikman Ch Sangma said this year's edition would bring together 1,000 drummers, 1,000 women dancers and 500 traditional artistes, Highland Post reported. About 1,700 drummers applied, but the committee could take only 1,000 because of resources and logistics. The venue has been enlarged to handle the performers and the crowds.

According to the committee's programme:

• November 11: first round of the 1,000-drum performance and opening of an exhibition with more than 300 stalls of local products, ornaments, traditional attire and souvenirs.
• November 12: the traditional Rugala ceremony and another drum performance.
• November 13: the main Wangala day, with the Sasat Soa ritual and performances by children.
• November 14: indigenous sports and games, folk song contests and prize distribution.

Teams from Assam, including Kamrup and Goalpara, a team from Karbi Anglong, and groups from Nagaland and Tripura are expected to take part. The committee has also invited smaller Garo sub-groups such as the Ruga, Chibok, Megam and Atong.

Events around the festival

The wider jubilee programme opened with a 10-km run in Tura on November 7. An India-Bangladesh football match is scheduled in Tura on November 10, a day before the main festival begins.

Wangala is the harvest thanksgiving of the Garo people, offered to Misi Saljong, the giver of crops. The Hundred Drums festival began 50 years ago to help younger generations keep the tradition alive, the committee chairman said. Aggarwal invited visitors from across Meghalaya and beyond to attend.