In which of the following Indian states is the “Hundred Drums Festival” observed?

The correct answer is Meghalaya.

Key Points

• Drums Festival
  • Hundred Drum Festival also known as the 'Wangala Festival, the Wangala Festival is a traditional festival in the northeastern Indian state of Meghalaya.
  • A group of 30 dancers with 10 drums would form a group and 10 such groups will be there. 
  • Thus, a total of 100 drummers and 300 dancers make up what is now known as the “100 Drums Wangala Festival”.
  • Every year the festival is celebrated for 3 days during the month of November.
  • Ordinary Garo people pay gratitude and reverence to Missi Saljong or 'Pattigipa Ra'Rongipa' (Great Giver) for blessing humans with a prosperous harvest for the season.

Important Points 

• The Wangala festival marks the end of a period of toil, that brings good results to the fields which also signifies the onset of winter.
• It is also celebrated in honour of the Sun God that marks the end of the long harvest season.
• Wangala is celebrated with different forms of dance.
• These dances are performed on the tunes of folk songs that are played on drums and primitive flute.
• Additionally, these flutes are made of buffalo horns.
• On the first day of the festival, people celebrate it with a ceremony called Ragula.
• This ceremony is performed in the house of the village’s chief.
• Then on the second day of celebration, which is called Kakkat, people begin the ceremony by dancing to the rhythms of long oval-shaped drums
• In this celebration, young and old join together while men play the drums and women perform traditional dance forms. The dance form is known as Dama Dagota.​

Additional Information

• Meghalaya:
  • Lok Sabha seats - 2.
  • Rajya Sabha seats - 1.
  • State Animal - Clouded leopard.
  • State Bird - Common hill myna.
  • National Parks - Balphakram National Park, Nokrek Ridge National Park.