From Our Correspondent
TURA: The beat of drums or dama as it is called in Garo, reverberated in the air on Thursday as the annual Hundred Drums Wangala Festival got underway here at Asananggre, 18 kms from Tura, the District headquarters of West Garo Hills.
It may be noted that the Wangala is the most significant post harvest festival of the Garos during which rituals are performed and offerings given to Misi Saljong also known as Patigipa Ra’rongipa (The Great giver) for having blessed the people with a rich harvest.
Ten Wangala troupes from various parts of Garo Hills which make up the Hundred Drums Wangala dancers, as well as a team from Bangladesh, arrived here in the forenoon dressed in their traditional finery and carrying their drums, gongs, horns and other traditional instruments to participate in the three-day festival.
During the afternoon they converged at the venue and rehearsed to synchronise their drum beats and dance steps for the grand finale.