Tura, Nov 3: The sounds of the Dama, a traditional garo drum, beating over the hills and valleys is rising by the day, as Garo Hills most colorful harvest festival- the famous 100 Drums Wangala Festival prepares to take off from the sprawling Wangala A·dam, or permanent site cum Garo Heritage village, at Chibragre, beginning November 7.
Wangala is the post harvest festival of the Garos and is a thanksgiving ceremony to ‘Misi Saljong also known as the ‘Patigipa Rarongipa, the deity who gives and blesses in abundance.
The 100-Drums Wangala Festival is organized every year by a Committee with the support of the state government and sponsored by other agencies like banks and other business and financial institutions.
Organizers are expecting record crowds to the festival including a large number of tourists, local and foreign, as witnessed in previous years.
The festival sees the participation of ten contingents representing different corners and regions of Garo Hills and vie for the 3 top positions. As part of the greater celebration, the troupes from the neighboring states of Assam and Nagaland and members of the local cultural youths also join in the festivities. However, they do not form part of the competing troupes. In the recent past, the festival even saw the participation of Wangala troupes by the Garos from Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, hectic and elaborate preparations are underway to host the mega cultural extravaganza in a grand manner at the A·dam (permanent venue) and nothing is being left to chance.
Learning from past experiences, two separate routes-one for entry and the other for exits, are being developed this year for the smooth passage of all vehicles and to avoid traffic congestions during 3 days of festivities.
All vehicles entering the A·dam will take to the newly constructed route from the point of Fishery Pond of Rural Development Department of NEHU from the National Highway No.51 at Chasingre; and all the vehicles leaving the A·dam, shall take the old route connecting to the venue via Ganol A·pal village to finally reach the national highway.
As per the programme released by the organizing committee, the first day will see inauguration of Handloom & Handicraft Exhibition, special dance by the OPATA and ASA NEHU, Rhythm of 100-Drums Wangala (introductory round), Master Chef Competition (Indigenous food).
The activities and the events marked for the second day of the celebration includes rendition of ‘Dimdim Dimchong Dachichong’ a popular Garo folk song which also serves as the Theme Song of Wangala, Garo Fusion Dance by Tura Dance Academy, Rugala (offering of rice beer for Misi Saljong, the patron deity) ceremony, the first round of Rhythm of 100-Drums Wangala and folk song competition.
The grand finale of the festival, on 9th November, will witness the best of Wangala Festival when all the 10 troupes will present a spectacular performance of 100-Drums Wangala Dance to the accompaniment of beating of 100 Drums in unison, blowing of Adil (horn made of buffalo horn fitted with hollow bamboo pipe), beating of ‘Rang’(Gong), blowing of ‘Bangsi’ (flute) reverberating and echoing across the hills from the fusion of instruments and rhythm of 100 odd feet tapping the ground together.
