Chief Minister, Conrad K. Sangma, today, attended the opening day of the three-days 49th Hundred Drums Wangala Festival at Wangala A’dam, Chibagre, in West Garo Hills.The programme was also attended by MLA of Gambegre Mehtab Chandee Agitok Sangma, Superintendent of Police (West Garo Hills) Abraham T. Sangma, Chief Secretary Dr. Shakil Ahammed and other dignitaries. Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister thanking the various contingents from different places in Garo Hills for participating in the 100 drums festival said that such culmination of the Garo community from different places is a blessing of the Almighty and also expressed his gratitude to the Organising Committee for upholding the culture and tradition of the Garos for about five decades. “People from different parts of the country and the world assembly every year to soak in our culture and tradition and this beautiful tradition has also been featured in the Indigo inflight magazine of November 2025. This 3 page article is not a paid article but our festival is showcased because it is unique and requires promotion and people from all over come to learn, understand and witness our culture,” he said. The Chief Minister said the works towards the approach road to Wangala A’dam, the venue of the festival for which 20 Cr has been sanctioned has already started.”With the completion of this road the approach to the venue will be smoother facilitating more crowd and tourists to the festival,” he said. “Next year which is the Golden Jubilee of the 100 Drums Wangala Festival the government will support to make the event bigger and grander,” and suggested that a State Level Committee is constituted to organise the event and added that with the government machinery involved and with coordination and collaboration in the festival the Golden Jubilee will be a big and grand event. “Late P A Sangma had envisioned the festival to be upscaled to 1000 Drums Wangala Festival.
It should be our endevour to make the upcoming golden jubilee celebration more grandeur with the involvement of key government departments in the celebration. I am positive that the golden jubilee celebrations will be grand a great success,” he said. He also requested the cooperation and the collaboration of the organising committee and other civil society bodies for the larger interest of the Garo community and the preservation, conservation and promotion of the Garo tradition and culture. The Chief Minister also informed that the state government has taken various initiatives to promote research on culture and our heritage and highlighted the Chief Minister’s Research Grant through which culture, music and tradition of the people are being researched and documented. “Going forward, we want to introduce more intervention to support research for cultural preservation. Not just writing and preservation through books but through video documentation,” he added. He further informed that training on indigenous and age old tradition and practices will be a way ahead for the youth to learn and understand and to conserve the age old traditions and rich cultural heritage of the state. The Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma today said that a committee has been constituted to document the journey of the Garos from Tibet. “We have constituted a committee, to research on the tribes of Meghalaya and document their migration from Tibet for the Garos, Vietnam and Cambodia for the Khasi and Jaintia community. The committee has met to discuss their way forward and is chalking out plans to begin documentation of the journey”, he said. He also informed that a preliminary research indicate various similarities in culture, language and tradition between the Garos and the people of Tibet.
Meanwhile, Chief Secretary Dr. Shakil Ahammed, in his address, emphasized the importance of protecting culture and tradition in an increasingly modern world. He urged the youth to remain rooted in their identity and called upon the youth to conserve, preserve ands protect culture as well nature. Dr. Ahammed further highlighted the State Government’s commitment to environmental sustainability, stating that Meghalaya has taken notable steps towards green planning and climate resilience. “We are among the few states that have introduced green budgeting and long-term planning to adapt to climate change and sustainably manage our resources for the next seventy years,” he added. Earlier, the programme began with prayers by Rev. Dilseng M. Sangma, Rev. Fr. Januarious S. Sangma and Dr. Imnanungshi Imsong, Principal of H.T.C, followed by a welcome address from Sri Ronald Rikman Sangma, Chairman of the Hundred Drums Wangala Festival Committee (HDWFC) and the Garo Hills Volunteers Corps (GHV). The Chief Minister and dignitaries were presented with mementos as a token of appreciation. Students from NEHU, Tura, performed a special dance and the highlight of the day was the spectacular “Hundred Drums Wangala” — a traditional performance featuring drummers, flute players, and women. The day also featured a slow food cooking competition, the inauguration of the handloom and handicraft exhibition, and various indigenous games. The programme concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Salgira Sangma, Secretary of the Hundred Drums Wangala Festival Committee (HDWFC). The Wangala Festival is celebrated annually after the harvest season. Organized by the Hundred Drums Wangala Festival Committee (HDWFC) in collaboration with the Department of Tourism, Government of Meghalaya, the three-day festivities feature traditional dances, drum performances, and rituals that showcase the rich cultural legacy of the Garo people.