📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Vishma thapa
Entertainment
Meghalaya to Feature 1,000 Drums at Wangala Festival for Golden Jubilee
✍️ India Today NE
🗓 20 Jul 2026, 10:33 PM
👁 2
The state of Meghalaya is set to amplify its traditional Wangala festival by staging a 1,000‑drum performance to celebrate the event’s golden jubilee.
The Wangala festival, celebrated by the Garo community, marks the end of the harvest season and is a vibrant display of music, dance and cultural pride. In 2024, Meghalaya will elevate the festival’s grandeur by organizing a historic 1,000‑drum performance, a first for the event.
The massive drum ensemble will be assembled in the capital, Shillong, with each drum played by seasoned local musicians. The performance is scheduled to coincide with the festival’s main parade, drawing an estimated crowd of over 50,000 visitors from across the state and neighboring regions.
State officials announced the initiative during a press briefing, stating that the 1,000‑drum display will showcase Meghalaya’s rich musical heritage and attract tourism during the peak season. The event is part of a broader effort to promote cultural tourism and support local artisans.
Organizers expect the spectacle to boost local economies, with vendors, performers and hospitality services benefiting from the influx of tourists. The festival will run from 12 to 15 September, culminating in a grand finale that will be broadcast live across regional television channels.
The massive drum ensemble will be assembled in the capital, Shillong, with each drum played by seasoned local musicians. The performance is scheduled to coincide with the festival’s main parade, drawing an estimated crowd of over 50,000 visitors from across the state and neighboring regions.
State officials announced the initiative during a press briefing, stating that the 1,000‑drum display will showcase Meghalaya’s rich musical heritage and attract tourism during the peak season. The event is part of a broader effort to promote cultural tourism and support local artisans.
Organizers expect the spectacle to boost local economies, with vendors, performers and hospitality services benefiting from the influx of tourists. The festival will run from 12 to 15 September, culminating in a grand finale that will be broadcast live across regional television channels.