Nagaland’s iconic Hornbill Festival is back with a bang for 2024. Dubbed the “Festival of Festivals,” the 25th edition will take place from December 1 to 10 at the Kisama Heritage Village. The 10-day event promotes tourism to the northeastern state and is a showcase of Nagaland’s rich and traditional cultural heritage in all its ethnicity, diversity and grandeur.
Here’s what you need to know about this year’s event.
The Hornbill Festival began in 2000 as a modest three-day event in the state capital, Kohima. It provided a unique platform for domestic and international visitors to experience tribal life, food, traditional games, music and dance, as well as the best of local handicrafts and textiles. In the intervening years, the festival was moved to the Kisama Heritage Village and has since succeeded in its goal of putting Nagaland on the tourism map of India. The festival keeps upping the ante in terms of visitor numbers and cultural highlights every year.
As part of this year’s festivities, the Kisama Heritage Village is undergoing renovations to celebrate the event’s 25th edition. As per reports, all renovation works are expected to be completed by November 17. The heritage complex consists of a cluster of 17 indigenously-designed houses (also called morung which means “youth dormitory”) which are representative of a different tribe. Here’s a teaser of what you can expect from the Hornbill Festival 2024.
The Hornbill Festival 2024 is where you will witness various Naga tribes present their traditional dances, music, traditional games and war techniques.
These traditional huts play a crucial role in imparting the knowledge of customs, traditions and warfare to young men. The festival features replicas of these morungs.
The Hornbill Festival 2024 also features indigenous sports such as Naga wrestling, bamboo stilt races and archery.
The festival hosts a large marketplace where local artisans and craftspeople display and sell Naga handloom products, bamboo crafts and unique tribal jewellery.
The Hornbill International Rock Contest is one of the most sought-after events at the festival. Rock bands from across India and abroad compete with one another.
The Hornbill Festival 2024 is also a culinary journey, with food stalls offering traditional Naga dishes such as smoked meats, bamboo shoot curries and Naga chilli sauces. Visitors can indulge in local delicacies that are rarely found outside the region.
Visitors can take part in guided tours to nearby villages and heritage sites, which offer insights into Naga history, traditional livelihoods and local biodiversity. These excursions complement the main festival activities and give a deeper understanding of Naga culture.
Domestic tourists need to apply for an Inner Line Permit on the government of Nagaland website prior to their arrival in the state. Foreigners need to register themselves at their district's local Foreigners Registration Office (FRO) within 24 hours of arrival.
Fly to Dimapur Airport (DMU) or take the train to the Dimapur Railway Station (DMV), then take a taxi or bus to Kohima which is 69 kilometres away. The Kisama Heritage Village is 12 kilometres from Kohima.
(With inputs from multiple sources)