TURA [Nov 10]: The possibility of a legal battle over who gets to hold the reins of the 100-Drums Wangala Festival hangs over last minute preparations currently under way for hosting the colourful annual post-harvest festival that draws thousands of spectators from across the region, after one of the factions filed a writ petition in the Meghalaya High Court on Tuesday.
As the organisers put last minute touches to hosting the 43rd Wangala Festival at its new location in Chibragre, on November 13 and 14, one of the factions opposed to holding the festival at the new venue and citing the Covid pandemic has filed a petition before the High Court in Shillong on Tuesday putting forth several reasons including a halt to the upcoming event.
The petition has been filed by the vice chairman of the 100-Drums Wangala Festival Committee, Purno K Sangma, who accuses the other committee members, particularly the festival chairman and the working chairman, of violating the rules and guidelines and seeks a return of the festival to its former site at Asanang village and cancellation of the two-day programme in view of the pandemic.
The organisers of the festival, who belong to the other faction, have, on the other hand, maintained that this year’s event would be a truncated festival with only two Wangala contingents and the host team of Chibragre participating, unlike previous years ten contingents that represent the 100 drums.
According to the working chairman of festival, Ronald Rikman Sangma, the committee has decided to go ahead with the festival in order to keep the sentiments of the garos and also to maintain the chain of Wangala Festival unbroken which has been going on for over four decades now.
The organisers have invited Meghalaya Speaker Metbah Lyngdoh and Selsella legislator and chairperson of Meghalaya State Council on Climate Change and sustainable development Ferline CA Sangma to witness the annual post harvest festival taking place for the first time at Chibragre, 5 kms from the previous venue and 11 kms from Tura.
While one faction has questioned the wisdom behind the decision to host a festival during a pandemic era, which in all probability is bound to witness many a footfall, those in favour of the event points out that this is not the first public programme to take place during this current situation and goes on to mention the recent festivities that took place in the state, including Behdienkhlam and the Durga Puja.
