Asananggre (Meghalaya), Nov 12 (PTI): The 100 Drums Wangala Festival - the harvest festival of Garos - has begun in this sleepy hamlet of Meghalaya's West Garo Hills district.
Catapulted to prominence following its performance at Commonwealth Games opening ceremony, the thanksgiving harvest dance, was converted into a community event 32 harvests ago under the patronage of then Chief Minister Captain Williamson A Sangma.
The festival which has grown exponentially in size and popularity is organised in a competitive format to integrate the scattered ethnic group across State and national borders while preserving and promoting indigenous A'chik culture globally.
Eminent litterateur and poet-musician, Llewlyn R Marak, a key personality in the organising committee, expressed happiness that the festival was finally getting its due prominence in the outside world, which was long overdue.
