Nagaland ready for Hornbill Festival after a year

DIMAPUR:

For those interested in the cultures and traditions of Nagaland, the upcoming Hornbill Festival is the place to be from December 1 to 10, 2021.

Though celebrated every year, one of the most sought-after festival in the country is back after a year-long hiatus and promises to be a hit with festival enthusiasts and first-timers.

Named after the Indian Hornbill, the bird, which is revered in Nagaland and is a recurring motif in Naga folklore. Naga heritage village, Kisama (12 km from Kohima) is the venue for the festival this year.

Scheduled to begin at 9:30 am on December 1 and go on till late in the evening, dance, food (particularly Naga cuisine), and music, are integral to the festival.

Like previous years, 17 major tribes of the state will take part in the festival with each tribe and sub-tribe bringing their own aesthetic elements to the event.

Ranging from their traditional ceremonial attire (different for each tribe), multi-coloured spears, daos with dyed goat’s hair, and headgears, to name a few, one will get to experience the culture of Nagaland up, close and personal at the festival.

The passes for the festival are priced at Rs 20-30 per day and those carrying cameras will have to shell out Rs 50 to enter the venue.

The Government of Nagaland has put in place Covid-19 SOPs and travel formalities that need to be adhered to. Domestic tourists, willing to be part of the festival, need to carry an Inner Line Permit (ILP) from the local government. 

Foreigners are required to register at the Foreigner Registration Office (FRO) of the residential districts within 24 hours of arrival.

The visitors have been advised to provide the Covid vaccination certificate if fully vaccinated, failure to produce the same means mandatory RT-PCR test at the entry point.

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