Hornbill Festival: All you need to know about the Nagaland festival

The Hornbill Festival is a 10-day festival held in Nagaland. This festival takes place every year in the state for its cultural heritage. It is also known as the festival of festivals. The main idea behind the festival is to protect, promote, revive, and sustain the state's culture and heritage. The dates for this festival are fixed from December 1 to December 10. Here is all you need to know about the festival.  

Hornbill Festival – All you need to know  

Location and importance 

The festival is held at the Naga Heritage Village, Kisama. This village is about 12 kilometres away from Kohima. Nagaland has a rich cultural heritage as each of its tribe has their own festivals that they celebrate. To promote their inter-tribe culture, the Nagaland government organises this festival. All the tribes of the state participate in this.  

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The name 

The festival is named after the bird Hornbill. The bird has a lot of cultural importance in the state. It is displayed in the folklore of most of the tribes from the state.  

What happens at the festival?  

In the 10 days of the festival, people come together to enjoy the food, ceremonies, events, sports, dances, music and more. The traditional arts which include paintings, wood carvings and sculptures are also put on display. The main festival highlights include Traditional Naga Morungs Exhibition and sale of arts and crafts, food stalls, herbal medicine stalls, flower show, and sales. The cultural medley which includes songs, dances, fashion shows, beauty pageants, traditional archery, Naga wrestling, indigenous games, and musical concerts are also extensively enjoyed.  

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Travel Tips for the festival 

• Since the festival takes place during the winter, it is recommended that you carry warm, comfortable and easy to launder clothes. It is also recommended to carry comfortable footwear for walking.  
• Keep in mind that rice, dim sum, and noodle dishes are the staple food of the state. Chinese and Indian cuisines are available at many restaurants, check with them before visiting.  
• It is not recommended to drink tap water and consume ice. Bottled water is available at all times but always check the seal before purchasing it.  
• Visitors usually prefer to stay in Dimapur as it is the commercial hub of the state. It is well connected by air and by roadways as well. Dimapur is about 3 hours away from Kohima.  

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