The beautiful state of Meghalaya came alive at Betasing in South West Garo Hills Saturday with at least 32 troupes exhibiting their rich dance, music and heritage before a strong crowd of over 15,000 people.
A power packed performance of dance and music displayed the collage of colours, rhythm and synchronization of music and songs. The performance showcased all major tribes and sub-tribes of the state, including Kuki, Biate, Ruga and Bodo.
The electrifying performance pushed the adrenaline of the crowd to an extreme, as people were seen rejoicing and dancing. The theme song – Krimkro Krimkro dake hai (Let us make music in unison) aptly demonstrated the unity of all tribes.
The festival – Rhythm of the hills, organised by arts and culture department in its true essence enchanted the people.
“We need to promote and market the event in a bigger scale to attract visitors, who can experience the rich and vibrant culture of the people”, said chief minister Mukul Sangma, bowled with the performances.
He said that government was willing to allocate dedicated funds to make the festival more grandeur. “The standard of the festival should be upscaled and our exclusive culture should be branded”, he added.
He suggested that the dances should be made more attractive and colourful.
“We have a clear agenda to make our festival known regionally, nationally and globally. The stories of our microscopic population will surely generate interest amongst travellers. We have to popularise our food stories, culture and lifestyle”, the chief minister exhorted.
He said that the festival has given an ample opportunity for the youths to display their talents. “Our youths should take benefits of this festivals to unleash their talents. They should expose their hidden talents and horn their skills”, he said.
Speaking at length on documentation and promotion of culture, the chief minister said, “We have to create our own identity to boost the economy of the state through such festivals”.
In the past several years, Meghalaya has been organizing several festivals across the state to showcase the culture as an “exclusive product” to attract tourists. He said, “Meghalaya is rich in natural resources and vibrant culture, we have to take full advantage to make it a viable alternative and source of livelihood for our people”.
“Every performer should excel in their respective roles, amplify their efforts and build up on their professionalism, so that we can create stories about our tribes and spark interest among the people across the globe”, he said.
He also said that this kind of programmes would help to bring out the hidden talents out of the young boys and girls and help them to excel in particular art other than the conventional studies.
Highlighting about the efforts of the government to promote the diverse culture and traditions of the people of the state through such festivals, the chief minister stressed that we need to promote the exclusivity of every tribe and every part of the state.
“Let the good things emanate from every part of our State and let us be known globally from the right perspective”, he added.
Other dignitaries presents at the festival were arts & culture minister Clement Marak, sports & youth affairs minister Zenith Sangma, parliamentary secretary Ashahel D. Shira, director of arts & culture M. War Nongbri.
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