Among the Garo people of India, the Wangala Festival is one of the most well-attended events of the year. During harvest time, the Wangala Festival honors Saljong, the sun-god of fertility. The Wangala Festival, celebrated during a time of hard work, culminates in bountiful harvests and is a significant festival in Meghalaya. The Wangala festival is also a way to welcome the upcoming winter!
What is the Wangala festival?
The Wangala celebration, often referred to as a 100-drummers celebration, is a time when the indigenous people of the area pay homage to their sun god, Saljong, by sacrificing animals. The celebration typically lasts for two days but can go on for up to a week. "Ragula" is the name of the first-day ritual that takes place in the chief's home. "Kakkat" refers to the second day. The music is played on long oval-shaped drums, and the dancers, both young and elderly, wear colourful costumes and feathered headgear.
This Meghalaya festival is a beautiful ode to hill life!
The hills and valleys will reverberate with the wonderful sound of drums for days, making it the perfect occasion to unwind. During the festival, participants showcase their popular dance styles, which can be slightly different from one another but share a common motif: a line of men and women dressed in their finest festival attire. People of all ages enthusiastically participate in the celebrations. The men are pounding the drums while the line advances in perfect time with the music. Played on a primitive flute crafted from buffalo horn, the men's "orchestra" also features gongs, flutes, and drums. The enthusiastic dancing and noticeable sense of tempo displayed by the artists, both young and old, make a lasting impact. The Wangala Festival primarily serves as a platform for the Garo people of Meghalaya to celebrate and maintain their cultural heritage. This showcases the region's culture and traditions.
What is the history of the Wangala festival?
Introduced in December 1976 at Asanang, 18 km from Tura, the 100 Drums Wangala Festival is a new version that aims to promote tourism and bring together multiple festivals on one platform. Performers from all across the Garo Hills and even nearby regions such as Nagaland, Tripura, and Bangladesh come together for three days in the first week of November to showcase their vibrant dance and drum styles. An increasingly popular event, the festival now draws throngs of people each year in an enormous celebration of Garo heritage. Exploring the top attractions in Meghalaya's Garo Hills during the Wangala Festival Celebration is a fantastic idea.
Traditional ceremonies and customs that link the Garo people to their homeland and the Sun God, Misi Saljong, are an integral part of the Wangala Festival. Invoking these rites is a way to express gratitude to the gods for a bountiful harvest and to ask for their blessings for the next year. An important part of Meghalaya culture, this festival has two parts.
The different rituals of the Wangala festival
Rugala
Rugala is the name given to the inaugural day of the festival. The Nokma, or chief of the community, hosts the event in his home. Saljong, the Sun God, receives offerings of newly made rice beer, cooked rice, and vegetables from the Nokma during this ritual. As a token of appreciation for the harvest, these sacrifices are made. As the faithful congregation watches in awe, the priest, known as the Kamal, leads chants and bestows blessings.
Kakkat
Kakkat, the second day, is when most people show up to celebrate. On this occasion, the whole town meets in open fields to play drums, dance, and sing. With the addition of over a hundred drums (dama), the ambience takes on a vibrant quality. Men and women alike don the garo attire and jewellery of their native culture.
The impact of Wangala on Meghalaya culture
One entertaining aspect of this Meghalayan harvest festival is the practice of selecting spouses from among the villagers. After the last day's festivities, guests can join the villagers in their traditional dances, a great experience and one of Meghalaya's best activities. Cultural performances and communal feasts follow prayers and sacrifices as the Nokma celebration progresses. The villagers undertake the ceremonies in the hopes of attracting Misi Saljong's blessings for bountiful harvests and protection from harm.
Sacred rites like these play a significant role in Meghalayan culture. They attest to the people's profound reverence for the natural world and their ancestral customs. Because the Garos have maintained these traditions even in contemporary times, the Wangala Festival serves as a link between the two eras.