SHILLONG: Misty and surreal, Meghalaya's Umbir village overlooking the stunning Umiam lake made for the perfect venue for The Hills Festival Meghalaya which concluded its 3rd season on November 5.
The multiple genres of music featuring bands and DJs from across the country and abroad enthralled the visitors.
While bringing the best of entertainment, the organizers were mindful of the surroundings. To ensure the well-being of nature, several green initiatives were taken by the team. All the visitors were urged to bring their own water bottles.
There were multiple water stations made of bamboo. To add to the visual aesthetics, the venue was decked up with gorgeous bamboo art installations including the main performance stage.
The sound of local musicians playing live under the moonlit sky and mist all around, set the perfect mood for the visitors who flocked from different parts of the town and some from as far as Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi.
Da Minot opened the festival followed by a soulful performance by Taba Chake that had the crowd swaying to his popular numbers Aao Chalein and more.
To add an extra dose of energy to the festival vibe was HanuMankind who performed numbers from his unreleased album and had the audiences hooked and asking for more.
People from as far as Mumbai and Delhi especially flew down to Shillong to see Bloodywood perform at the festival, and it was indeed the "best decision we took" said a Japanese group from Delhi that saw the festival in its full glory for the first time.
Day-2 saw YungRaja and F16S, TransEffect and the popular Northeast band Dossers Urge rocking the evening alongside the electronic stage which was a major crowd puller.
The flea market had several homegrown businesses showcasing their products - chocolates, pickles, honey, accessories, artifacts and more. And to make the best of the festival, many of the visitors camped at the venue and had the party going till wee hours.
One of the highlights besides music was The Forage Aisle, where its sole intention was to shine a spotlight on the different ingredients found in the wild but rarely found in the main markets of Meghalaya. The Hills Festival collaborated with The Locavore and NESFAS to work with the community to not only source the ingredients but share insights on these ingredients. A whole area was dedicated to food with a layout of an array of indigenous foraged foods and wild edibles.
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