AHAIA-Tura Winter Festival begins on a colourful note
TURA, NOV 3: The Tura Winter Festival, “AHAIA--Garo Hills beckons, 2008”, organized by the Department of Tourism, Meghalaya in collaboration with the District Administation, got off to a colourful start with an impressive Carnival at Tura on Monday.
A colourful cultural procession, which is the first of its kind in Garo Hills, included tableaus
depicting the life and culture of the Garos and traditional dances of various tribes and communities living in Garo Hills and was flagged off by the Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, Mr. Thomas A Sangma at Chandmary playground. The processionists marched through the streets of Tura amidst cheers from the onlookers, before converging at Tura MP Stadium, Dakopgre for the formal inauguration of the weeklong festival.
Speaking as the chief guest on the occasion, the Rajya Sabha MP, Mr. Sangma said that this was a proud moment for the people of Garo Hills to show to the rest of the world that the spirit of harmony and brotherhood still exists in this region when incidents of hatred and violence are taking place in other parts of the country. “With the right people in the right places, Garo Hills can only move ahead in the right direction--towards progress and prosperity”, he added.
Earlier, the Deputy Commissioner, West Garo Hills, Mr F. R. Kharkongor, while delivering his welcome and keynote address, said that “Ahaia” is the essence of Garo culture and hospitality and this winter festival was being organized to showcase all the wonderful aspects and positive vibes of Garo Hills. This carnival was also aimed at bringing about cross-cultural exchange, so various tribes and communities from Garo Hills as well as Jaintia Hills have come together for the festival, he said.
The cultural cavalcade, included six tableaus from various cultural clubs and organizations and government agencies, traditional dancers, including the Bhangra dancers from Institute of Hotel Management (IHM), Shillong, Nepali, Assamese, Hajong and Koch dances. A man dressed-up like the legendary ‘Mande buring’ and an elephant which was brought all the way from Assam, were an added attractions during the carnival. Cash prizes were also given away to the three best tableaus.
The fire balloons or ‘tyngkoms’, brought by a team from Jaintia Hills Tourism Development Society (JHTDS) as a gesture of goodwill and friendship, were also released on the occasion.
Earlier in the morning, a welcome gate erected at a tri-junction at Asanang, 18 kms from Tura, was inaugurated by the Rajya Sabha MP Mr. Thomas A Sangma in the presence of Parliamentary Secretaries, Mr. Satto Marak and Mr. Marcuise Marak, JHTDS Secretary, Mr. M.Lohit, Deputy Commissioner, Tura Mr. F R Kharkongor, members of the Tura Chambers of Commerce, district officials and the local residents.
The arch, measuring 12 metres in length, was constructed at a cost of about Rs. 3 lakhs and has been sponsored by the Tura Chambers of Commerce.
TURA, November 8: The annual 100 drum Wangla festival ended on a colourful note of protecting and preserving rich Garo tradition and culture beyond Garo Hills. This year’s special attraction was a cultural troupe coming from Bangladesh. The Hundred Drums Wangala Festival is being organized in the second week of November every year by the Hundred Drums Wangala Festival Organisation in order to preserve and promote the cultural identity of the Garos. With the advent of modernization, the rich culture of the Garo’s is fast loosing its’ charm. An effort by few conscious people for the last two decades have kept Wangla going and their concept to 
promote the festival has gone beyond and people from all over the globe are aware of this event.Besides the ten Wangala troupes from Garo Hills, a group of 30 Wangala dancers from Bangladesh, the Khasi warrior dancers and the Laho dancers from Jaintia Hills also participated in the two-day Festival this year.“It’s awesome. It’s so nice to be here around. Every thing is so simple and beautiful”, said Mary and John, a couple from UK who travelled across the country to witness the colourful festival of the Garos.
The State Planning Board Chairman, Mr Purno A Sangma, who participated as the chief guest in the festival, expressed his happiness to see how the Hundred Drums Wangala Festival has grown over the years. He took the opportunity to inform the gathering that the North-East regional office of the Indian Council of Cultural Relations would be inaugurated in Shillong by Mr. Karan Singh on December 13, adding that this would enable the people of the region to project their culture and tradition to other parts of the world. He also informed the people that 1000 Drums Wangala Festival would be organized next year, instead of the 100 drums, for which necessary preparations were being made by the Tourism Minister Mr. Conrad K Sangma.The State Planning Board Chairman also inaugurated the newly constructed Bandasal or the traditional conference house of the Garos as part of the festival. Minister for Taxation, etc Mr. J A Lyngdoh, in his brief speech, also expressed his great happiness to be able to participate in this festival for the first time and extended his greetings to the people of the region on this occasion.
Earlier, the President of the Organising Committee, Hundred Drums Wangala Festival, Mr. L K Marak welcomed the gathering and gave a brief highlights on the Wangala festival of the Garos. Lok Sabha MP, Ms Agatha K Sangma, Parliamentary Secretaries, Ms Ampareen Lyngdoh and Mr. James K Sangma, Chief Executive Member, GHADC Mr. Alphonse A Sangma and Chief Secretary of the State Mr. Ranjan Chatterjee were among others who also attended the Wangala festival.The indigenous games and sports and the two-day Industrial Exhibition was also organized at the same venue as part of the festival.
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