Meghalaya: The 50th Wangala Festival concluded on Saturday, November 14, 2026, with Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma attending the closing ceremony at Garo Heritage Village, Wangala A'dam, in Chibragre near Tura.
The four-day Golden Jubilee celebrated the Garo community's post-harvest thanksgiving tradition with 1,000 drums and 3,000 dancers.
The 2026 Wangala Festival marked the 50th edition of one of the Garo community's primary cultural celebrations. Originating in 1976, the festival reached its Golden Jubilee this year, marking five decades of the traditional thanksgiving observance.
The 100 Drums Wangala Festival Committee organized the celebrations, which ran from November 11 to November 14.
The Golden Jubilee edition featured an expanded performance involving 1,000 drums and 3,000 dancers. The scale of the celebrations reflected the festival's central place in the Garo community's cultural traditions.
Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat attended the closing ceremony as the chief guest, alongside Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma. The ceremony took place on Saturday at Garo Heritage Village, Wangala A'dam, in Chibragre, near Tura, Meghalaya.
Chief Minister Sangma also spoke to reporters at the venue about the 50-year milestone of the Garo community's primary festival.
The Meghalaya government sanctioned a total of ₹25.50 crore for the 50th Wangala Festival celebrations. The allocation comprised ₹20 crore for infrastructure development through the Meghalaya Public Works Department (PWD) and ₹5.50 crore for the 100 Drums Wangala Festival Committee's budget.
The PWD was identified as the infrastructure executing agency, while the festival committee was responsible for organizing the celebrations. The allocation supported the infrastructure and organizational requirements associated with the Golden Jubilee edition.
Wangala is a post-harvest thanksgiving festival dedicated to Misi Saljong, the Garo Sun God of fertility. The annual cultural observance has its roots in 1976 and holds an important place in the Garo community's traditions.
The 2026 Golden Jubilee celebrations also reflected the vision of former Meghalaya Chief Minister P. A. Sangma, whose vision was associated with expanding the festival's scale to 1,000 drums at Chibragre.
The conclusion of the four-day festival on November 14 brought the 2026 Golden Jubilee celebrations to a close.
With 1,000 drums, 3,000 dancers and participation from senior political leaders, the 50th Wangala Festival marked an important milestone in the Garo community's cultural calendar.
The celebrations also highlighted Meghalaya's investment in festival infrastructure and organization through the ₹25.50 crore sanctioned allocation.