ASANANGGRE (MEGHALAYA), Nov 12 � The 100 Drums Wangala Festival � the harvest festival of Garos � entered its second day on Friday in this sleepy hamlet 17 km north of Tura in 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.
Each year 10 contingents drawn from as many a�king or community-owned clan holdings converge on the community development block of Rongram where they wow domestic and overseas audiences with their percussive skills.
Initially restricted to the drum-dance competition, the 100 drums festival is increasing in popularity as audiences continue to be enraptured by the mesmeric staccato of the 2-2-1 beat of the dama � A�chik long-drum, and the saber-rattling war-cry of the �nokma�.
