Nishangram: It was deemed the biggest rock concert in the history of music in the Garo Hills region organised at Nishangram’s sprawling playground, near Damas, on Saturday evening to honour living rock legend and singer Browny Marak of the famous rock band Riprap as part of his 50th year celebrations.
Going by the crowd and cheers that rent the air it seemed as though the world famous Bacchalian festival had arrived in the Garo Hills.
The venue Nishangram was the perfect setting for the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the rock star. After all, it was his birth place and also the roots from where Garo rock music emerged. History was in the making there and going by the numbers it would seem an election rally was going on in poll-bound Meghalaya. Yet it was neither a political rally nor the man who was the centre of attention a political wannabe. Here was a man who was out to win hearts and not votes.
And hearts he has won aplenty.
Thousands of both young and old had thronged the venue wishing to be part of history of Garo rock. Traffic snarls stretching 10 kms long, from Damas to the venue, seemed hardly to matter for the music enthusiasts while distance seemed only a metaphor as people from Assam and Khasi hills made it to the festival which had Garo Hills’ ” come of age” bands paying tributes to the green hills very own Dylan.
A sea of fans, numbering in their thousands waited impatiently to hear the voice of the legend who has transformed the music scene in Garo Hills like no other musician has.
The moment finally came when Browny walked onto the stage and the crowds went wild amidst high pitched decibels as fans clamoured for space and fame. The rest is history.
