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The 'music city'
strummed the strings on October 27 like never before on its way
to the world record beating mighty America with just guitars in
hand.
Shillong set a new Guinness World Record in the 'Largest Guitar
Ensemble' in the world with 1730 guitars strumming in perfect
harmony living legend Bob Dylan's classic "Knocking on Heaven's
Door".
The Pine City beat the earlier world record set in Kansas City,
USA where 1721 guitarists performed the rock classic "Smoke on
the Water" on June 4 last in the Guinness World Record for 'The
World Record Guitar Ensemble'.
"Shillong has done it again," announced the State director
general of police (DGP) Bijon Kumar Dey Sawian, official
representative of the Guinness Book of World Records. Renowned
music exponent Lapynshai Syiem assisted him.
The venue of the grand feat, the Jawaharlal Nehru Sports
Complex, Polo Ground was abuzz with thousands of guitarists
strumming away in joy marking the beginning of the month-long
annual Autumn Festival.
"We hope that the tunes from the guitar strings of this event,
named 'Rhythms of Meghalaya' will send the positive message
throughout the world that Meghalaya is all about music, love and
peace," said an ecstatic cabinet minister Robert G. Lyngdoh, who
is also chairman of the Meghalaya Tourism Development Forum (MTDC),
the organizers of the Autumn Festival.
Celebrity guitarists from other parts of the country also took
part in the historical event.
Last year, Shillong had set the Guinness World Record for the
world's biggest drum ensemble with 7800 drummers beating their
hearts out at the Jawaharlal Nehru Sports Complex as part of the
Autumn Festival on the theme "Positive Vibrations".
"The prime objective of this exercise was to showcase Meghalaya
and the Northeast as a peaceful destination to the outside
world," said Larsing M., vice chairman of the MTDF.
It's a weekend of partying as the entire Hill City has
literally taken to the streets with guitars in hand knocking,
not heavens but the doors to the hall of universal musical
fame.
October 2007
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