The event featured a powerful blend of international stars, national performers, and homegrown talent, creating one of the region’s most memorable celebrations of music, culture, and community.
Tura: The Me’gong Festival 2025 wrapped up in Meghalaya's Garo Hills with a grand two-day finale that attracted more than 55,000 visitors, reaffirming Meghalaya’s growing reputation as one of India’s most vibrant cultural destinations.
The event featured a powerful blend of international stars, national performers, and homegrown talent, creating one of the region’s most memorable celebrations of music, culture, and community.
Day 2 delivered a high-voltage conclusion as British pop band Blue, global EDM duo Yellow Claw, singer-songwriter Prateek Kuhad, and Bollywood star Kanika Kapoor performed on the Aski Stage to thunderous applause.
Blue’s Antony Costa described the festival as “amazing,” while band members Simon Webbe, Lee Ryan, and Duncan James thanked the crowds, calling Garo Hills “a paradise.”
Kanika Kapoor set the tone for the evening with hit tracks such as Chittiyaan Kalaiyan, Baby Doll, Jawaani Le Doobi, and London Thumakda. She expressed her excitement at performing in Meghalaya for the second time, praising the crowd as one of the best she has ever witnessed.
Prateek Kuhad followed with a soulful set featuring Saansein, Cold Mess, and other popular numbers that drew thousands of listeners. Blue’s nostalgic pop anthems had the audience singing along to classics like One Love, All Rise, and Guilty. Yellow Claw closed the night with an explosive EDM act that turned the Bolbokgre–Watregre Festival Ground into a sea of lights.
The Kingfisher Stage on Day 2 also witnessed heavy footfall, with performances by Hoi Hoi Makbil, G-Hills Finest, Crack Gang, Rough Road, and Nokpante.
The festival’s opening day had already set an extraordinary tone, featuring performances by global icon Richard Marx, Bollywood singer Neeti Mohan, Grammy-winning reggae artist Julian Marley, and electronic music favourite Nucleya. Marx’s set included classics and unreleased tracks from his upcoming album Afterhours, marking a rare appearance in India.
Neeti Mohan’s tribute performance of Mayabini in Tura—honouring Zubeen Garg in his birthplace—became one of the most widely shared moments from the festival. Julian Marley’s reggae session and Nucleya’s high-octane finale sealed Day 1 as a music experience unlike any witnessed in the region before.
A major highlight of the festival was the active participation of emerging bands under the Chief Minister’s Meghalaya Grassroots Music Project (CM-MGMP). Seven CM-MGMP bands performed on the opening day, sharing the stage with global artists. Many youngsters described the opportunity as career-defining.
Beyond the music, Me’gong Festival also offered a wide cultural immersion for families, tourists and festival-goers. The Great Garo Hills Cook Off, featuring MasterChef India Season 8 runner-up Nambie Jessica Marak as a special guest, showcased modern interpretations of traditional cuisine.
Visitors also engaged in traditional sports, explored a lively Brew Village, enjoyed cosplay events, attended the Miss & Mr Me’gong Contest, and browsed through craft markets, food stalls, VR zones and entrepreneur exhibits under PRIME Meghalaya.
Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma attended the opening day, highlighting the state’s rising prominence in India’s concert economy. Meghalaya has emerged as a preferred destination for global artists, thanks to festivals such as Me’gong, the Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival and Winter Tales.
As the lights dimmed over the Bolbokgre–Watregre grounds, Me’gong Festival 2025 concluded with unforgettable performances, vibrant cultural showcases and a renewed sense of pride in the artistic identity of the Garo Hills.
