Quintessence of Wangala Festival

Wangala is one of the important festivals of Meghalaya. It is performed by Garo tribes of Meghalaya, meaning ‘Abode of Cloud.’

People of Garo community celebrate this festival with high spirit at the end harvesting season every year. They spend three days and three nights in festive moods by singing, dancing and drinking the Chu.

Wangala festival is a grand carnival for them, which is observed by the people after getting the golden harvest as a result of great hard-work in fields. The festival is celebrated to thank the Sun (Misi-Saaljing), God of Fertility.

The Garos greatly depend on agriculture for their livelihood, and they never use the crops before offering them to the God.

The festival derived its name from the word Wanna, a meeting place of all Garo people.

A celebration of Wangala Festival started in December 1976 at Asanang, 18 Km from Tura, one of the largest towns in Meghalaya.

The major attraction of the harvest festival is the sound of 100 drums (Nagaras) which are beaten together on the final day of the festival.

On this occasion, young men and women, dressed in their traditional costumes, perform the dance to placate the great deity, source of unveiled power in this world. Even, old people also take part in the dance.

The female participants sing indigenous songs called Ahaiya to exchange their views and ideas, and to show their love and gratitude to their neighbors.

Besides hundred drums, other musical instruments used in this ceremony are flutes made up of buffalo horns, gongs, and ngatik. The music is played imitating sounds the wind makes when it blows through bamboo holes and rustles the leaves of plants. The Garo women clap their hands on the beats of the music.

On the last day of the festival, the Hundred Drum dance is performed to merrily end the grand ritual.

They worship the god of farming and agriculture for showering their blessing due to which the people able to see the golden harvest after a great hard-work for one year.

Villagers start preparations for the festival in advance. They cook several types of local dishes and home-brewed rice beer, an integral part of the ceremony.

Time of celebration of Wangala festival:

The Garo tribe of the state celebrates Wangala festival every year at the end of the autumn season. Usually, it is held during the second week of November. The celebration continues for two- three days.