Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited Tura on November 12 to attend the golden jubilee of the Wangala Festival. He served as the chief guest at the Garo Heritage Village in West Garo Hills. The event featured a massive display of 1,000 drums and 2,000 dancers.
The festival runs from November 11 to 14. This harvest celebration honors indigenous Garo traditions and gratitude. It started small in 1975 at the Chandmari Playground with just 10 drums. Former Meghalaya Chief Minister Captain Williamson A Sangma later pushed to expand the count to 100 drums.
Sarma told the crowd that the connection between the states runs deeper than state lines. He said the relationship between the two states went beyond geographical boundaries and was rooted in shared history, culture and emotions. He urged the youth to keep their mother tongues and traditions alive while chasing modern careers.
The Chief Minister noted that Assam created a government department specifically to protect indigenous faith. Meghalaya Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister Timothy D Shira and festival committee president Ronald Reckman Sangma joined the event. Sarma described the festival as a living tradition rather than just a show for tourists.
Comments