TURA: The Rugala ceremony was performed on Friday, the third day of the 100 Drums Wangala Festival, as the footfall at the scenic Asananggre, the venue, continued to soar this year.
The Nokma, or village chieftain, performed rituals and offered special rice beer and cooked rice and vegetables to Misi Saljong, the local Goddess, for good harvest.
The visitors at the festival, which began in 1976 with 10 drums, were a motley crowd of foreigners, domestic tourists and locals from across the state. The festival will end on Saturday and Chief Minister Mukul Sangma is likely to attend it.
A Wangala troupe from Karbi Anglong in Assam is taking part this year.
Other performers are from North Garo Hills, Shillong College, Shillong, Tura Government College also participated in the programme.
Opposition chief whip and Dadenggre legislator James Pangsang K Sangma was the chief guest. Taking part in the colorful traditional festival for the first time were Numal Momin, Garo MLA from Bokajan constituency in Assam and Supreme Court advocate and adviser to Assam government Nalin Kohli, besides foreign tourists and the local public. James lauded the effort, hard work and dedication of the organising committee for successfully organising the festival for 40 years now despite facing various challenges.
Stating that people without the knowledge of past history and culture is like a tree without its roots, therefore, preserving the culture and traditions of our forefathers is necessary, he added.
