HORNBILL-" THE FESTIVAL OF CULTURAL GALORE"

Nagaland is a pleasing mountanious state in the northeast of India . No doubt that Nagaland is the " land of festivities" and is one of the major tourist attractions  located in the northeast .Nagaland certainly has everything to offer for every genre , but, if by any chance, you decide to come here or pop up here in the month of december , you are in for one of the greatest and  most pleasurable cultural festive experience of your lifetime. I am talking about the utterly prominent Hornbill festival.

Hornbill festival is one of the biggest festivals of Nagaland and is  certainly one of the most eagerly awaited festival of the state. Initiated in 2000, this festive event has become a principal festival in India's cultural calendar. 

It is a 10 day event celebrated every year in the first week of december and is profoundly regarded as the " festival of festivals." The aim of the event is to showcase the diverse cultures and traditions of Nagaland and protect them .

What makes the Hornbill festival so peculiar?

The festival showcases food fairs , craft exhibitions , local  tribal exhibitions and much more......so much that it cannot be expressed in words. 

The festival gets it's name from the Indian hornbill. However , the state's bird is Blyth's tragopan , but, Indian hornbill is a part of the folklore of almost all tribes of Nagaland.

While many people stay confused as Kohima being the exact venue of the hornbill festival , let me clear the bubble of confusion here , as the main venue of the festival is not kohima , but , naga heritage village, kisama which is about 12 kms south of kohima. Kisama is an open air musuem which showcases various aspects of Naga life. It offers a fascinating insight into the life and cultures of various naga tribes. 

An interesting part is that the 16 gates of the venue represent the 16 major tribes , which form the majority of nagaland's population. Each entry gate is distinct from the other and individualized with motifs of the respective tribes , so, a different kind of entry awaits for you at each entry.

Might come as a surprise to most, but , Naga is a dry state. and thus, expect no alcoholic consumption there since alcohol sale is prohibited. Still, if you want to go ahead with the idea, the only way left is to illegally arrange it and that is not a good idea at all. So, forget alcohol for some days and enjoy with an attentive mind this culturally enhancing festival.

The venue is a no plastic zone too.

What are the special things the festival  holds for us?

Though the festival extends for a long duration of a week , with continous activities to engage and impact you , the best of the best activities cannot be missed. 

Participants at the chilly eating competition

One of the most prominent and alluring competitions of the hornbill festival is the " chilly eating competition." Well, it is a one of a kind competition , and if you do participate , be ready for some running nose and spicy mouth.

Another famous competition is the pork eating competition and no prizes for guessing , participants take great pleasure in outperforming one - another.

Major highlight is definitely the Hornbill International rock festival. Expect the International bands to set the stage on fire. Since, it is one of the most celebrated festivals, expect music and dance to be on its peak. Some bands to have performed in the past are -

• Smokie- the british band
• Slain from bengaluru
• Jester from delhi.....

and many more.......

If music and dance does not inspire and entertain you or just basically not your cup of tea , Naga wrestling competition is another option. It is for people who love fights and wrestling. Do not anticipate or imagine  rash street fightings. With well planned ideas , fightings are done for entertainment purposes only . 

These i believe are enough reasons to be part of a one of a kind festival, and some would have already made up their mind for a visit to the prestigious hornbill festival. Therefore, Some things to be kept in mind before being a part of the epic cultural event are-

Expect crowd ,and by crowd i mean loads and loads of them because just like us , thousands and thousands want to relish this festival and be a part. Though, traffic jams are a part of everyday life in kohima but, heavy traffic jams are expected during the course or duration of the festival. 

Although , bookings are not necessary but advised to avoid any last minute hustle and bustle. 

Do bargain at the food stalls and souveneir shops to fetch the best deal since high prices are charged for services.

For every detailed information, an Information center near the venue location helps you out with ideal brochures listing the schedule , timings of events . Also, it details various other major attractions in Nagaland.

Pack your bags for the next early december and be a part of something you will cheish for life.