Hundred Drums Wangala Festival kicks off

STAFF CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG, Nov 12: The Annual  Hundred Drums Wangala Festival got off a rousing start today with the arrival of  ten Wangala Dance Troupes from various parts of Garo Hills at Asang near Tura.

It may be mentioned that the Wangala is the most significant post harvest festival of the Garos generally held in the second week of November every year. It is a Thanksgiving ceremony to Misi Saljong also known as Pattigipa Ra•rongipa (The Great Giver) for having blessed the people with rich harvest of the season.

The ten participating troupes in this year’s Wangala Festival are Gondenggre, Gambarigre, Sadolbra, Chibonggre, Dallanggre, Rongdikgre, Chidamgre, Sasatgre, Dang Songma and combined troupes of Selbalgre and Rengsangre,

As a part of the three-day Wangala festival, the Master Chef 100 Drums Wangala Festival cum Indigenous Slow Food  competition known as Brenga (which is cooked in bamboo tubes) and We•tepa (which is steamed on low fire by wrapping with ba leaves, has been organized. The Hundred Drums Wangala festival which was started in the year 1976 at Asang, the Headquarters of Rongram Development Block near Tura has become popular over the years under.