TURA: The Garoland State Movement Committee (GSMC) from Rongram in West Garo Hills has urged the Deputy Commissioner to halt the proposed Wangala festival at Chibragre, pointing out that the site is surrounded by residential localities and the Ganol River, which is the prime source of water supply to Tura and Rongram and is in close proximity to the festival site.
The GSMC felt that it would not be wise to organise the festival, be it in a small or large scale as it would not be possible to maintain necessary protocols by each and every visitor.
“If churches, schools and social gatherings can be banned for six long months, we believe that the people would also be in favour of postponing the festival till the situation returns to normalcy. We urge you to review the decision to allow holding the festival at Chibragre,” the GSMC said in its letter to the Deputy Commissioner.
The organisation also urged the authority not to open a ‘Pandora’s Box’ in the midst of a global pandemic, and taking into account the recent declaration of Rongram area as containment zone, it should also consider the postponement of the Wangala Festival, 2020.
The Wangala is the most significant post-harvest festival of the Garos generally held in the second week of November every year.
It is a thanksgiving ceremony to Misi Saljong, also known as Pattigipa Ra·rongipa (The Great Giver), for having blessed the people with rich harvest of the season.