TURA, NOV 9: The 36th Hundred Drums Wangala Festival which started on Thursday concluded on a festive, cultural note with the sound of a hundred drums reverberating in the air at Asanang, near Tura on Saturday evening. The Wangala Festival is the biggest post-harvest festival of the Garos.
The last and final day of the three-day festival was attended by chief minister Mukul Sangma, deputy chief minister Rowell Lyngdoh, education minister RC Laloo, urban affairs minister Ampareen Lyngdoh, sports & youth affairs minister Zenith Sangma and art & culture minister Clement Marak among others.
The festival was also witnessed by over 50 tour operators, both national and international.
Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Sangma lauded the organizing committee for their efforts in promoting the culture and tradition of the Garos. Despite the endeavour of the government to generate employment in the sector, there were not enough jobs for many unemployed youths in the state and hence there is a need to promote other sectors, Sangma said. He was of the opinion that this festival was one such way opportunity towards employment generation for the local youths through promotion of culture which will attract tourists and boost tourism.
Sangma, however, said that there is a need to create a conducive atmosphere so as to enable the tourists and visitors from outside to come and visit the region without fear or hesitation.
Sangma also handed over a cheque of over Rs. 19 lakh from the Meghalaya tourism department to the Wangala Committee for organizing the festival.
Earlier on Thursday, SBI Master Chef competition in indigenous cooking, “Brenga” and “We’tepa” was organized as part of the festival and the three-day district-level Industrial Exhibition was inaugurated by the parliamentary secretary Noverfield R. Marak, even as the Wangala troupes from various parts of Garo hills arrived to take part in the festival.
The activities on the second day of the festival included the indigenous games and sports and cultural competitions, besides the “Rugala” ceremony which is traditionally performed a day ahead of the Wangala festival.
On the third and final day, the “Sa’sat so’a” and “Dani Doka” rituals were performed before the day-long dance competition among the 10 Wangala troupes and the main Hundred Drums Wangala dance, which was joined in by the host of dignitaries and the tour operators.
The Wangala troupe from Sadolpara village of Dadenggre Block walked away with the first prize, while Dingnapara village of Selsella block and Danang Songma of Rongram block were adjudged the first and second runners-up respectively in the Wangala dance competition this year.- By Our Reporter
+ There are no comments
Add yours