Shillong, Dec 7: The eagerly anticipated Monolith Festival, initially scheduled for December 2023, has been postponed to January 2024 owing to the ongoing works and other preparations at the Heritage Village in Mawphlang.

Confirming the development, Victor Ranee, KHADC’s Executive Member (EM) in-charge Arts and Culture, announced the postponement, citing various reasons. The KHADC has opted to postpone the festival’s dates, with the new schedule set to be announced shortly.

Ranee, while speaking to reporters, further stated that the Monolith Festival would only permit local brew wines and rice beers, but not foreign alcohols. Additionally, only locally made products will be showcased and available for purchase at the venue.

Addressing the ongoing construction at the Heritage Village in Mawphlang, EM Ranee highlighted its design to allure tourists beyond the festival’s three-day duration. The revenue generated from this endeavour aims to prevent the site from becoming dormant after the festival, unlike previous years’ outcomes.

According to the agreement terms, the KHADC is set to receive 60% of the generated revenue, while the remaining 40% will be allocated to the Hima Mawphlang.

Worth mentioning is that the ‘bigger and better’ Monolith festival is set to make a comeback after seven years.

The festival, last conducted in 2016, was halted due to fund constraints earlier. However, the KHADC is collaborating with the tourism department of the state to host the festival in a bid to highlight the Khasi cultures and traditions.

The primary objective of KHADC in hosting the festival is to consolidate the diverse and rich traditional cultural heritage of the Khasis under a single platform for exhibition and celebration.

The festival provides a platform for Khasi community to come together, celebrate their unique identity, and share their traditions with the broader population, both locals and visitors. The festival typically features various cultural performances, traditional dances, music, arts and crafts exhibitions, and culinary delights that are intrinsic to Khasi culture.

Read: Mondal visits hydro power plant in West Bengal to gain insights towards augmenting power infra in M’laya

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