1st day of 100 drums Wangala festival concludes with the Rugala ceremony

1st day of 100 drums Wangala festival concludes with the Rugala ceremony

TURA, NOVEMBER 13: The first day of the 100 drums Wangala festival concluded today with the Rugala Ceremony performed by the priest of last year’s Hundred Drums competition winner Dingnapara Village of Selsella Block, West Garo Hills.

The morning of the first day of the 100 drums Wangala festival began with the arrival of the 11 Wangala Troupes including a Wangala troupe from Bangladesh and also the inauguration of the exhibition stalls at Asanang Field by the Director, Industries, D K Areng who was also the Chief Guest of the inaugural function.

The exhibition cum sale at the Hundred Drums festival is an added attraction showcasing various agro and industrial products of Garo Hills. This year entrepreneurs and professionals from various walks of life participated in the exhibition with altogether eighteen stalls opened this year.

During the later part of the first day of the Wangala festival, indigenous A·chik traditional Games were held, testing the strength, endurance and stamina of the A·chik menfolk.

The main events in the indigenous traditional A·chik games were the Rong·ma desusaa, Wa·pong Sika, Anding Oka, Waldu Ra·a and Jakpong Pe·a. These traditional games during the ancient times were held annually to test the strength, endurance and stamina of the A·chik Matgriks or Warriors and whoever won during these games were declared the strongest and bravest Matgrik among the A·chiks.

After the indigenous games, like every year, the all important Rugala ceremony was performed by the priest or Kamal from Dingnapara Village of Selsella Block under West Garo Hills District. The Rugala ceremony in ancient times was performed every year, post harvest before the Wangala festival to offer Misi Saljong the first harvest of mi and misi (staple of the A·chiks) from the jhum and paddy fields etc thanking him for the years’ good crops and abundance of food.

This year also a Wangala troupe from Bangladesh is participating in the Wangala festivals for the second time and was led from Bangladesh by Pramod Manking, a Garo MP from Bangladesh.

This year, altogether there are 11 troupes participating In the hundred drums festival. The participating troupes are Wangala troupes from Chepagre, Ampati Sub-Division, West Garo Hills, Sadolpara and Tallangre from Dadenggre Development Block, West Garo Hills, Tura, West Garo Hills, Polenggre from Dalu Development Block, Dingnapara from Selsella Development Block, William Nagar from East Garo Hills, Chibragre, West Garo Hills, Baghmara, South Garo Hills, Danang Songma and the troupe from Bangladesh.