The Hundred Drums Wangala Festival Committee earned a Guinness World Records title for the Largest Wangala Dance during its Golden Jubilee celebrations.
The Hundred Drums Wangala Festival Committee, India, secured a Guinness World Records title for the Largest Wangala Dance during the festival's Golden Jubilee on November 14. The event, held at Garo Heritage Village in West Garo Hills, Meghalaya, featured over 1,000 traditional Dama drum players performing in unison alongside women dancers and warriors, according to The News Mill and ANI.
Guinness World Records adjudicator Richard Williams Stenning from the United Kingdom officially announced the record at the venue. The performance also included over 3,500 dancers at the Wangala Playground in Tura, as reported by Deccan Herald.
Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat attended the closing ceremony as Chief Guest. He described the festival as a way to express gratitude to nature for a bountiful harvest and noted its potential for cultural tourism and local livelihoods.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, who was present as a guest of honour, said the 1,000-drum performance fulfilled the vision of the late P. A. Sangma.
The festival originally started in 1976 with 20 drums and later grew to 100 drums.
A dance competition was held among ten contingents during the event. Chidaogre won the competition and received Rs 2 lakh, while Gondenggre and Sadolbra were the first and second runners-up, receiving Rs 1.5 lakh and Rs 1 lakh respectively.
The state government allocated Rs 6 crore for the organisation of this year's festival, with Rs 36.65 lakh sanctioned for the Guinness World Records application and logistics. Additionally, Rs 20 crore was provided through the Public Works Department for the development of the Wangala A·dam venue.
