Guitarists in Shillong strum together in record bid

By Biswajyoti Das

GUWAHATI (Reuters) - Hundreds of guitarists played Bob Dylan's "Knocking on Heaven's Door" in Shillong on Friday, attempting to break the world record for the largest guitar ensemble.

About 1,730 guitarists played at a stadium in Shillong aiming to break the existing Guinness record held by musicians from Kansas City in the United States where 1,721 guitarists had performed Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water" last year.

There were no adjudicators from the Guinness Book of World Records at the Indian event, but its organisers claimed their feat would be recognised as they had two witnesses in keeping with the parameters set by the Guinness authorities.

"Though we set a new world record, we are sad as we were expecting more than 2,000 guitarists," Aiban Mawkhroh, one of the chief organisers of the event told Reuters from Shillong, capital of the picturesque hill state of Meghalaya or "the abode of the clouds".

The performance has been videotaped and a copy would be sent to the Guinness authorities.

A similar event has been planned by guitarists in London on Nov. 2, Mawkhroh said.

Shillong also holds the world record for the largest drum ensemble after 7,951 drummers performed for more than five minutes in perfect rhythm last year.