Wangala dance of Garo tribe, Meghalaya

Meghalaya, popularly known as the ‘abode of clouds’ is one of India’s youngest States with ancient tradition and tribal culture. Garo tribe, second largest tribe of Meghalaya, is one of the few remaining matrilineal societies in the world. Shown here is the rehearsal of Wangala dance or the harvest dance by Garo tribal dancers during the hornbill festival of Nagaland.

Hornbill Festival, organized by State Tourism and Art & Culture Departments of Nagaland, is held annually in the first week of December. The festival is a celebration of the unique cultural tradition of Naga tribes and it also gives platform for the tribal dances of other northeastern states in India.