Shillong: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma opened the golden jubilee of the 100 Drums Wangala Festival on November 11. The four-day event runs until November 14 at Wangala A'dam in Chibragre, near Tura. This milestone year features a massive spectacle with 1,000 drummers and 3,000 dancers. The theme is Rhythm of 1,000 Drums.
Sangma honored the original vision of former Lok Sabha Speaker PA Sangma, who wanted to scale the event from its humble 100-drum roots. He stated, "The golden jubilee celebrations had fulfilled that vision." The government plans to posthumously award the pioneers who started the festival in 1976, including Captain A Sangma, Sanford K Marak, Dr Bernard K Marak, Probin Raksam, Hubert K Sangma, Liander K Mara, Herik S Sangma, Felix R Sangma, and Garnet Mangsang.
The government poured money into the site. They sanctioned Rs 20 crore for development at Wangala A'dam and an additional Rs 6 crore to run the festival. Officials also greenlit funding for a Guinness World Records attempt to recognize the festival's scale. The event features Rugala, Cha'chat So'a, indigenous sports, and folk-song contests.
Over 300 stalls showcase food, handloom, and handicrafts to boost local entrepreneurs. Performers arrived from Garo areas across Assam, Nagaland, Tripura, and Karbi Anglong, alongside representatives from the Ruga, Chibok, Megam, and Atong communities. The festival started on December 6, 1976, at Asanang to revive dying village traditions. It moved to its current home in 2020 to handle the crowds.
Updated at 12th November 2026 at 1:48am
The opening ceremony kicked off with the traditional Chandal Goa ritual. Officials marked the milestone by releasing a souvenir magazine titled Chirongdik, which chronicles the last fifty years of the event. During the program, relatives of the late composer Millickson K. Marak performed the festival's official theme song, Dimdim Dimchong Dachichong.
Organizers confirmed a star-studded guest list for the festivities. Alongside local legislators and community leaders, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is slated to attend the second day of the celebration.
Updated at 12th November 2026 at 2:00pm
The inaugural ceremony opened with a prayer from Dr Imnanungshi Imsong, Principal of HTC. Ronald Rikman Sangma, Chairman of the Hundred Drums Wangala Festival Committee, delivered the official welcome address to the crowd.
During his address, the Chief Minister urged the community to guard their traditions against the erosion seen in global cities, stressing that economic progress must not come at the cost of local identity. The first day also featured a Slow Food Competition and the launch of a handloom and handicraft exhibition.
Updated at 12th November 2026 at 7:15pm
The original 1976 festival format featured 10 contingents, each made up of 10 drummers and 30 dancers, totaling 100 drums and 300 dancers. This initial setup aimed to pull village traditions back from the brink of disappearance.
Beyond the Wangala festivities, Sangma moved to the state capital on November 12 to kick off the sixth edition of the Shillong Literary Festival at Ward's Lake. The Chief Minister touted the event as a push to give young people a stage to display talent and rub shoulders with global creatives. He signaled a goal to drag the festival out of Shillong and onto international platforms in future years.
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