Garo Hills grooves to beat of A'chik Dama

The deep rumbling echoing in the bowl like depression of the Asananggre community development block reverberated around the Garo Hills on Thursday. It came not from the thunder of rain clouds but from the 100 dama – the long-drum of the Garos – assembled under a autumn sky to give thanks to Misi Saljong, "the giver," marking the beginning of the 100 Drums Wangala Festival.
In the 32 summers since it was introduced as a humble attempt to promote and preserve indigenous A’chik culture, the thanksgiving harvest dance has fascinated audiences from near and far with its mesmerizing rhythm and perfectly synchronized steps. The festival, which has evolved from being a symbolic congregation of drummers and dancers representing the length and breath of the Garo Hills, is a commendably orchestrated and perfectly choreographed exposition of A’chik culture. Extended this year to cover three-days, this year’s drum fest is showcasing much more than the culture alone. Indigenous sports – first mooted by retired IPS officer, Skylance G Momin, a decade ago – indigenous rituals and a number of presentations on the sidelines of the festival promise to make this year’s edition a turning point in the celebration.
While the star attraction of this year’s festival is a presentation by the drummers and dance troupe who performed the opening act under the tutelage of maestro A R Rahman, at the recently concluded Commonwealth Games, another feature is the registration of an official "brand-identity" as a registered "trademark" by the 100 Drums Wangala Festival Organizing Committee. Created by globally-renowned Shillong-based design house, Cognet Solutions, the "brand" was developed to give the festival a modern and contemporary feel without diluting the cultural significance of the event.
According to the Chairman of the Organizing Committee, L K Marak, the initiative was both "timely and significant." He said the trademark, which stood in the name of the 100 Drums Wangala Festival Organizing Committee, had been "gifted" by Cognet chief executive and lead designer, Sanjay Sharma, a noted journalist, who has worked and covered the Garo Hills extensively in the last 20 years and founded the first full-fledged Garo weekly, Janera.
Meanwhile, the Industries department, which has organized an exhibition to showcase art and craft and organic produce, including medicinal herbs was inaugurated by Meghalaya Parliamentary Secretary Ismail R Marak. Speaking on the occasion, he lauded the work put in by the organizing committee and the industries department and said such initiatives could only strengthen the image of Meghalaya to the outside world. Welcoming the introduction of the brand identity for the Festival, Marak said it would put a "face" on the annual event and help market it to tourists in India and overseas.
State Medicinal Plants Board chairman Tony TC Marak, who is steering an ambitious state venture to promote its rich non-timber forest resources, said the products on show in the SMPB stall were to promote the cultivation of medicinal herbs as a preferred protocol of treatment that was increasing in popularity. He was all praise for the wide range of mementoes which have been introduced by the organizers, and lauded their novel way of helping to raise funds through the sale of festival merchandise, while also publicizing the event to global audiences.
The festival is to conclude on Saturday with the grand 100-drums tattoo in the presence of Chief Minister Dr Mukul M Sangma and other prominent members of government and civil society.