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Nagaland hosts its most significant event, the Hornbill Festival, in early December each year to celebrate its diverse community and culture. The festival runs from December 1 to 10, coinciding with Nagaland Statehood Day, which falls on December 1. Also known as the "Festival of Festivals," it's a smorgasbord of Naga culture with 17 major tribes and other sub-tribes of the state showcasing the rich diversity of customs, language, dress, and cuisine. Tribes and sub-tribes from various regions of Nagaland gather in Kisama (near the state capital, Kohima) to showcase the best of their cultures.
The Hornbill Festival began modestly in the year 2000, when the state government embarked on an ambitious project to promote Naga culture and timed the festival to coincide with Nagaland's Statehood Day on December 1. Today, it is Nagaland’s biggest annual festival, lasting 10 days, and celebrated at Kisama Heritage Village. Moreover, it has become a global attraction, with a medley of traditional cultural performances, music by local and international bands, fashion shows, sporting events, crafts bazaars, flower festivals, kid's carnivals, and food courts. Across the ten days, you can head out and meet Naga artisans at work, take part in the Hornbill Literature Festival, and compete in the Naga King Chilly Eating Contest, among other activities.
Kisama, the venue of the festival, is a Naga Heritage Village lying in the shade of Mount Japfü, and is about 10 km from Kohima. The area is designed to resemble the map of Nagaland, with tribal huts allocated per their geographical locations. The tribal Morungs, or traditional youth dormitories of each tribe, are a striking sight at Kisama. Each community is represented by its morung, which varies in style.
The morung used to be an important part of traditional Naga life and culture, where elders would pass down customs and traditions to future generations through folktales, music, dance, and oral narratives. The amphitheatre is where tribal performances take place, where women and men from across the state dress up in their tribe's traditional attire and perform folk dances and rituals, as well as showcase indigenous games that are part of the tribe's traditions.
The Task Force for Music & Arts (TaFMA) of Nagaland is organising the Hornbill Music Festival, which will feature about 800 performers from South Korea, Germany, Colombia, India, and the United States. You can look forward to performances by Nagaland’s favorite pop-rock act Alobo Naga and the Band, Rain In Sahara, Bengaluru-based singer-songwriter Frizzell D’Souza, pop artist Ananya Birla, local indie-rock acts Trance Effect and Papersky. Grammy-winning musician Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt will do a special set with the Nagaland Ensemble. International acts include Colombia’s Los Rolling Runas and Native American storyteller and dancer Larry Yazzie. The music festival is free to enter. You can check out the daily schedule here.
The best way to acquaint yourself with Nagaland’s diversity is through its cuisine. Several food stalls and courts will serve up delicacies like Galho, prepared with seasonal greens, smoked pork and local rice; Rosep Aon, a traditional favourite among the Ao Naga Tribe; the fermented drink of Zutho, and more. Apart from food stalls, you can also hit up Cafe Hornbill for excellent locally grown coffee, with snacks. It was formally inaugurated on November 29.
Choose from several accommodation options. You can camp out or book a homestay. You could also opt for accommodation in Kohima. The Tourism Department of Nagaland has put together a list of suggested stays here.
What: Hornbill Festival 2023
When: December 1-10, 2023
Where: Naga Heritage Village, Kisama, Nagaland
You may not be able to attend all ten days, but the festival is best enjoyed if you can stop by for at least three–four days, so you have a chance to see several performances. Check out the daily schedule here.
Getting There
Nagaland has an airport in Dimapur, which is regularly serviced by major airlines. If you want a more central airport connected to many airlines, you can opt to fly to Guwahati or Kolkata, and then take proceed to Kohima or Dimapur. The central railway station in the state is at Dimapur. From there, you can reach Kohima via public transport or private cars. The state has a good road network.
Permits
An Inner Line Permit (ILP) is required for Indian (Domestic) tourists entry into Nagaland. You can download the form from the Nagaland Portal and apply for an ILP yourself. If you reside in New Delhi, Kolkata, Shillong or Guwahati where there is a Nagaland House office, you will also be able to obtain an ILP application form and make your application there. More information here.
Foreign tourists can enter Nagaland freely (without any permits). However, they need to register with the Foreigner’s Registration Officer (FRO) of the district they visit or the nearest police station within 24 hours of their arrival.
Tickets
Tickets for various events can be purchased at the venue. Tickets for each event are available separately on the respective dates.
