TURA, Nov 19: India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been invited for the statehood day celebrations when Meghalaya attains fifty years on January 21st, next year.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma announced to the media at the ongoing Me’gong Festival in Babadam, near Tura, that Prime Minister Modi has been specially invited to attend the golden jubilee celebrations.
“We have invited our honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi for our statehood day celebrations that take place next year. We are awaiting a response from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO),” revealed the chief minister.
To kick start the golden jubilee celebrations, the Conrad Sangma government selected the tribal garo village of Babadam, 30 kms from Tura, giving a strong endorsement about the importance of ethnic and cultural preservation of the tribal way of life in the state.
A nondescript tribal village surrounded by rolling hills and a fertile valley blessed with an abundance of fresh water, Babadam has become the centre of attraction for all thanks to the ongoing three day Me’gong festival that has opened the gates for the yearlong celebrations of Meghalaya’s 50 years of statehood.
“This Me’gong Festival begins our golden jubilee statehood celebrations and also India’s 75 years of Independence,” said the chief minister signifying the importance of this event.
Meghalaya will also be hosting three important events during the golden jubilee celebrations which will put the national focus on the state.
“We are going to host the North East Youth Festival, the National Table Tennis Tournament and the North East Cup,” announced the chief minister while adding that the Meghalaya Games would go as scheduled, next year.
Significance of Babadam and Me’gong
Babadam is one of the oldest tribal villages in the Garo Hills region whose inhabitants are mainly Songsareks that follow their own tribal religion. It is also a centre for the art of brewing traditional rice beer made out of rice and seasonal fruits.
The area houses two crucial tribal centres of learning that are coming up at the Garo Heritage Village, 10 kms from Babadam, and the Tribal Research Institute, 5 kms away.
The Tribal Research Institute, once ready, will become a centre for culture not just of Meghalaya but also different tribal cultures of the north east. It is planned to open by September 1st of next year- which coincides with the birth anniversary of Late Purno A Sangma, the political stalwart from Garo Hills who first took the initiative to set up a centre to protect, preserve and promote the tribal way of life.
Me’gong is a form of orchid lily that is found in abundance in Garo Hills, its leaves and young shoots are a delicacy in local cuisine.
The chief minister also said that the festival will henceforth be held annually in the Babadam area itself because the people in the region have for generations been preserving and promoting their ethnic culture.
The permanent location for the festival will be at the Tribal Research Institute in Chidekgre, barely 5 kms away.
“These festivals help us to preserve our culture, promote it and celebrate it,” believes Conrad Sangma.
“Impressive preservation of culture”
Deputy Head of Mission of Sweden’s Embassy in India, Gautam Bhattacharya, has termed his first ever visit to Garo Hills as ‘pleasantly surprised’ having witnessed firsthand the tribal way of life in this part of India.
“I was really surprised to find there are still ethnic tribes who follow the customs and rituals passed down by their forefathers. The preservation of their ethnic way of life and culture is really impressive,” said Mr Bhattacharya while speaking to this scribe at the Me’gong Festival where he was one of the special guests of honour.
He also took the opportunity to savor a taste of the local brews.
On Friday, participants took part in an eating competition of Sakin (rice cake) and tamarind, traditional games.
Artists from La Gota international circus lit up the night sky with their highly acrobatic skills while young girls from Garo Hills very own walked the ramp to a fashion show by Arif Mukhim.
Famous rapper from Shillong, Meba Ofillia, is due to take the stage for the closing event of the evening.
The grand finale of the festival on Saturday will have more music and dance, a fashion show by Tatyana Momin and Cryspil Sangma.
Another eating competition- this time of the citrus fruit Chambil and pork fat is slated for the last day that will be followed up with a Strongman contest.