Welcome to Wangala Festival, Wangala A'dam::: 1000 Drums Echoing through the Garo Hills of Meghalaya, India, to honor the Misi Saljong

A 1000 (thousand) DRUMS ECHOING THROUGH THE GARO HILLS OF MEGHALAYA, INDIA, TO HONOR THE MISI SALJONG AT WANGALA A’DAM, GARO HERITAGE VILLAGE, CHIBRAGRE, NEAR TURA, FROM 11 TO 14 NOV. 2026.
The Wangala is the post-harvest and biggest festival of the Garos, holding great significance. The festival is held annually in the month of November. It is a ‘Thanksgiving’ ceremony to Misi-Saljong, also known as ‘Pattigipa-Ra∙rongipa’ (The Great Giver), for helping farmers reap their harvest dividends after toiling in the soil throughout the year.
The festival, which is ever-growing and moving from strength to strength in size as well as popularity, is organized in a competitive format to integrate the scattered ethnic groups across state and national borders while preserving and promoting indigenous A∙chik (Garo) culture globally. The festival, organized by the Wangala committee comprising dedicated sets of people committed not only to preserving the traditions but also to showcasing the rich cultural ethos of the Garos, is basically a symbolic competitive event by ten dancing contingents drawn from all corners of Garo Hills. The festival, which will be held for the 50th occasion this year since its inception, will be held at an idyllic Wangala A∙dam. Garo Heritage Village, Chibragre, near Tura. Each year, 10 contingents, comprising 300 dancers drawn from as many A∙king or community-owned clan holdings, converge, where they wow domestic and overseas audiences with their percussive skills. This year in recognition of the presence of huge Garo diasporas settled beyond the boundaries of Garo Hills (Meghalaya), including those in neighbouring Nagaland, Assam, and Tripura, to emotionally integrate and promote a feeling of oneness among the people culturally and linguistically belonging to the same stock, couple of special invitees’ troupe will be invited to participate in the festival, although they will not be a part of the competition. Over the years, the popularity of the 100 Drums Wangala Festival has grown tremendously, attracting large numbers of both domestic and international tourists. Besides the traditional 100-drum presentation being the main attraction of the festival, other events lined up are: Indigenous Games/Sports, Indigenous food, Oral Traditions, Ajia, Doroa, Grika, and folk song competitions, concluding with the Rugala and Chachat So∙a ceremony. Once again, we are delighted to inform you that this year, on 11, 12, 13, and 14 November 2026, we will be celebrating our Golden Jubilee with one thousand (1000) drummers and three thousand (3000) dancers altogether.

Objective :
1000 Drums Echoing through the Garo Hills of Meghalaya, India, to honor the Misi Saljong at Wangala A'dam.


	A 1000 (thousand) DRUMS ECHOING THROUGH THE GARO HILLS OF MEGHALAYA, INDIA, TO HONOR THE MISI SALJONG AT WANGALA A’DAM, GARO HERITAGE VILLAGE, CHIBRAGRE, NEAR TURA, FROM 11 TO 14 NOV. 2026. The Wangala is the post-harvest and biggest festival of the Garos, holding great significance. The festival is held annually in the month of November. It is a ‘Thanksgiving’ ceremony to Misi-Saljong, also known as ‘Pattigipa-Ra∙rongipa’ (The Great Giver), for helping farmers reap their harvest dividends after toiling in the soil throughout the year. The festival, which is ever-growing and moving from strength to strength in size as well as popularity, is organized in a competitive format to integrate the scattered ethnic groups across state and national borders while preserving and promoting indigenous A∙chik (Garo) culture globally. The festival, organized by the Wangala committee comprising dedicated sets of people committed not only to preserving the traditions but also to showcasing the rich cultural ethos of the Garos, is basically a symbolic competitive event by ten dancing contingents drawn from all corners of Garo Hills. The festival, which will be held for the 50th occasion this year since its inception, will be held at an idyllic Wangala A∙dam. Garo Heritage Village, Chibragre, near Tura. Each year, 10 contingents, comprising 300 dancers drawn from as many A∙king or community-owned clan holdings, converge, where they wow domestic and overseas audiences with their percussive skills. This year in recognition of the presence of huge Garo diasporas settled beyond the boundaries of Garo Hills (Meghalaya), including those in neighbouring Nagaland, Assam, and Tripura, to emotionally integrate and promote a feeling of oneness among the people culturally and linguistically belonging to the same stock, couple of special invitees’ troupe will be invited to participate in the festival, although they will not be a part of the competition. Over the years, the popularity of the 100 Drums Wangala Festival has grown tremendously, attracting large numbers of both domestic and international tourists. Besides the traditional 100-drum presentation being the main attraction of the festival, other events lined up are: Indigenous Games/Sports, Indigenous food, Oral Traditions, Ajia, Doroa, Grika, and folk song competitions, concluding with the Rugala and Chachat So∙a ceremony. Once again, we are delighted to inform you that this year, on 11, 12, 13, and 14 November 2026, we will be celebrating our Golden Jubilee with one thousand (1000) drummers and three thousand (3000) dancers altogether. Objective : 1000 Drums Echoing through the Garo Hills of Meghalaya, India, to honor the Misi Saljong at Wangala A'dam.
	Glimpse of Wangala Festival, Wangala A'dam