TURA, Nov 6: Hectic preparations are under way for the upcoming 100 Drums Wangala Festival which will take place from November 11 to 13 at the festival’s permanent site — the Wangala A’dam at Chibragre, about 12 kilometres from Tura, with organisers rushing to plug any loopholes and rectify glitches to ensure that visitors to the festival get a one-of-a-kind experience.
To ensure that all citizens have the opportunity to get a glimpse of the traditional festival, the West Garo Hills District Administration has also declared November 11 as a local holiday.
It is worth mentioning that the Wangala is the biggest festival of the Garos involving a post-harvest thanksgiving ceremony to ‘Misi Saljong’ also known as ‘Patigipa Rarongipa’, the deity who gives in plenty. The 100-Drums Wangala Festival, which is annually organised by a Committee in the second week of November, is symbolic of the true and original Wangala dance and associated rituals which is now practised only by the handful of Garos called ‘Songsareks’, who still follow the tribal or animistic form of belief systems.
The 100-Drums Wangala Festival is performed by ten contingents of Wangala troupes comprising 100 drummers who are drawn from all four corners of Garo Hills. Troupes from outside Garo Hills, such as Assam and Bangladesh, have also been known to participate in the festival in the past.
The festival in the past has attracted tourists both at the national and international level. This year’s festival is being held for the second time since it was shifted from its earlier venue at Asanang.
This picturesque permanent site perched on a hillock spreads over 22 acres of serene and pristine environment and is surrounded by rivers Rongram on the north and Ganol on the south which confluence at this very spot. Hence, the name, Chibragre, which loosely means to confluence in Garo.
The organisers are looking to develop the site into a Garo Heritage Village, which, among other things, will showcase the different aspects of Garo cultures by engaging in activities as practised by all the 12 sub-tribes of Garos.
Speaking about the preparations for the mega event, Organising Committee Chairman, Ronald Rikman Sangma, informed that elaborate and wholesome power-packed entertainment programmes have been drawn up for the three-day cultural extravaganza and the committee intends to make the festival more grandeur this year with the COVID-19 situation improving.
According to Sangma, a host of dignitaries from the government, including Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, is expected to grace the yearly cultural event.