Photos: Bloodywood, Hanumankind and Taba Chake Brought Diversity to The Hills Festival Meghalaya

Meghalaya has another formidable festival to add to its annual calendar, with The Hills Festival bringing together hip-hop, metal, rock and folk-fusion across two days on November 4th and 5th.

Held by Umiam lake in Umbir village to showcase the traditions and cultures of local tribes, the two-day festival had a fully Indian lineup, plus Singaporean rapper Yung Raja performing. Top draws included singer-songwriter Taba Chake, folk-metal frontrunners Bloodywood (for whom people traveled from all over the country, the festival says), Chennai indie act The F16s, and Bengaluru-based hip-hop artist Hanumankind.

The Hills Festival also brought in Shillong folk-fusion act Da Minot, Nagaland rockers Trance Effect, hip-hop duo Leo Boys performing with the band Paper Parachute, rock trio Dossers Urge and DJ-producers like Karan Kanchan and Sickflip. Although a slight bit of rain was a bit of a disruption, the festival trudged on safely.

Off the stage, a local group of musicians called Ka Sur na Nongkyndong (Voice of the Villagers) from the East Khasi Hills were performing in the food and merchandize area of the festival, adding a bit of local flair.

Apart from programming heavyhitters to pack the stage, The Hills Festival Meghalaya also introduced an initiative called The Forage Aisle, with the intent to shine a spotlight on different rare ingredients found in the wild in Meghalaya.

Photos: Courtesy of The Hills Festival Meghalaya