TURA: The famous annual harvest festival of the Garos-Hundred Drums Wangala Festival, will kickoff on Thursday at the idyllic Asananggre village of Rongram Block, 18 kms from Tura, with an Eco Marathon at the break of dawn.
The three day festival will culminate in a grand finale on Saturday during which the ten Wangala troupes will take part in the beating of a hundred traditional drums (Dama) as the young maidens dance alongside. Record number of spectators including tourists, both foreign and Indian, are expected to witness this colourful traditional festival.
Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong will be the chief guest at the grand finale, on Saturday, alongside health minister A L Hek who will be the guest of honour.
Tourism minister Metbah Lyngdoh will be the chief guest to witness the Rugala ceremony, on Friday, in which the traditional priest, known as “Kamal” will pour the rice bear as an offering to the gods.
The first day of the celebration will include, besides the Eco Marathon, the opening of the handloom and handicrafts exhibition, a tug of war competition and a “Masterchef” competition where culinary specialists will present different food items with traditional flavour.
The second day of the celebration will have the indigenous games, such as “Gando Makal” a traditional form of wrestling, “Wa’pong Sika” a test of one’s strength in which individuals on both ends of a bamboo push each other, “Japong Pe’a” traditional arm wrestling, among others. It will also be a day in which the first round of the 100 Drums Wangala takes place.
The largest number of crowds is expected on Saturday when the finals begin for the ten Wangala troupes that will vie for the coveted prize. The day will start with the burning of the incense sticks or “Sa’sat So’a” at the house of the village chieftain (Nokma) and the offering of rice and traditional beer after which the Nokma does the Grika or warrior dance as he leads everyone from the house to the field.
Last year’s champions- Chidaogre village will once again be competing against host team Selbalgre-Rengsangre, Gondenggre, Wa’tregre (Jengjal), Sadolpara, Dabakgre, So’kadam Balading, Dametgre, Golmangre, Haluapara and Sasatgre (standby troupe).
It is interesting to note that all the troupes participating in the festival hail from the traditional “Songsarek” (animistic) villages where people still worship the ancient traditional religion and way of life.
The first Hundred Drums Wangala Festival was organized on December 6th and 7th 1976 at Asananggre and since then it has been celebrated annually drawing large crowds and dance troupes from beyond, including Bangladesh and Karbi Anglong.