Me’gong Festival concludes on a high note in Garo Hills

TURA, Nov 20: The biggest festival to take place since the COVID-19 pandemic — the Me’gong festival at Babadam, near Tura, came to a close on Saturday night with a dazzling display of colours, music and cultural display.
Famous travel blogger and MTV VJ Shenaz Treasurywala made the event even more glamorous with her presence.
Shenaz witnessed the strongman contest at the Me’gong fest and also took part in the cultural Wangala dance that was presented to her by a cultural troupe from a Garo village.
The gigantic field at Babadam was jam-packed with thousands of spectators on Saturday evening as people from Guwahati and Shillong arrived to take part in the festival.
Barring the main events on stage, which included performances from La Gota circus and other artists, the cream of the festival was evidently the traditional brew stalls put up at the fest.
People were seen making a beeline till late night to savour the authentic rice beer brought over to the fest by the traditional rice beer makers from the famous Garo villages of Gongdenggre, Sadolpara, Marakapara, Selbalgre and others.
They shared space with brewers from Assam, Arunachal and Sikkim who also gave the local brewers a run for their money.
The fashion show depicting a fusion of tradition and eco-friendly products was an instant hit with the crowds as young girls from Garo Hills itself walked down the ramp displaying vibrant colors.
Designer dresses made from discarded paper, calenders and clothes were beautifully displayed signifying the importance of renewable items in one’s everyday lives.
Another highlight of the night was the dazzling display of a laser and light show that had the crowd on its feet.
For the people of Babadam, this has been the first and biggest gathering of people to their area.
For the visitors, it was a unique opportunity to see firsthand the rich traditions still kept alive in a pristine and green environment where every turn of the road from Tura to Babadam, a distance of 30 kms, welcomed visitors with a shade from the gigantic trees that have preserved the soil and water for generations.