Hundred Drums Festival celebrated in Meghalaya

Tura, Nov 12: Wangala,the hundred Drums festival of Meghalaya's Garo community, was celebrated with traditional pomp and gaiety at Asananggre, about 19 km from Tura, the district headquarters of West Garo Hills.

'Wangala' or 'Dance of Hundred Drum' festival marks the end of toil, heralding a yield of good harvest. It is a thanks giving ceremony to ''Misi Saljong,'' also known as ''Patigipa-Ra'rongipa'', meaning the Benefactor, for blessing human beings with rich harvest of the season.

People, young and old, dressed in their colourful costumes and feathered head dress, dance to the beat of long cylindrical drums.

Besides the 'Wangala', a tribal Garo sports meet traditional dress competition and the Ruga dance of the Garo sub-tribe were also organised.

Meghalaya Chief Minister J D Rymbai and former Lok Sabha Speaker Purno A Sangma, present at the festival, appealed to the citizens of the state to maintain peace and harmony.

UNI