Experiencing the vibrant colors at Hornbill is among the best things to do in Nagaland

GUIDE TO HORNBILL FESTIVAL 2019 – PHOTO BLOG AND ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

People of Nagaland

Hornbill Festival 2019 – Dates & Hornbill Festival Tickets

Like every year, Horbill Festival 2019 — a 10-day grand show of Naga Heritage and Culture starts on December 1 (Saturday) and will end on Monday, the 10th of December. The tickets are available at the counters set up near the entry. The ticket is basically like a band, only green in color, that one gets for club and event entries. The tickets are priced at INR 20 while the camera charges are INR 30 and INR 50 respectively for still and video cameras. Go Pros were allowed for free at Hornbill 2018. The festival is a 10 day mega show of cultural heritage and tribal warfare for all the 16 major tribes of Nagaland — Ao, Angami, Chang, Konyak, Lotha, Sumi, Chakhesang, Khiamniungam, Kachari, Phom, Rengma, Sangtam, Yimchungrü, Kuki, Zeliang and Pochury. Konyaks and a couple of other tribes which belong to the Head Hunters community put up fierce shows and performances at the Hornbill Festival. So, it doesn’t really matter which day you are here. Every day has a packed schedule of cultural performances and musical shows amidst hustling exhibitions of local weapons, tools, clothes, food and handicraft. However, we recommend the first 3 days as it’s during the inauguration phase that you can get to see some of the best of performances here at Hornbill.

Bawray Banjaray in Northeast enjoying a sunset
BAWRAY BANJARAY IN NORTH EAST EXPEDITION

पिछले दिसंबर हम नॉर्थ ईस्ट ट्रिप पर थे, ये तो आपको पता ही है. 10 दिन के इस ट्रिप पर हमारा तीसरा दिन बीता कोहिमा शहर के पास किसामा हेरिटेज विलेज में. जी, यहीं होता है Hornbill Festival. टाइम की कमी की वजह से फ़ेस्टिवल में हम एक ही दिन रह पाए लेकिन एक दिन में जो कुछ देखा और भोगा, सब सब घर कर लिया है हमारे दिलों-दिमाग ने। विश्वास मानिए, आप एक बार भी इस फ़ेस्टिवल में आ गए, तो ज़िंदगी भर इसके रंग, इसकी विविधता और यहाँ के लोग आपके फ्लैशबैक में चमकते रहेंगे।

जानिए असम के माजुली द्वीप के बारे में

तो इन्हीं यादों को अर्रेंज कर के हमने ये PHOTO BLOG ON HORNBILL बनाया है. फटोज़ दिखने से पहले, हमने सोचा कि अब क्योंकि Hornbill 2019 भी पास ही है, तो थोड़ी जानकारी भी जोड़ दी जाए! शुरुआत करते हैं हार्नबिल फ़ेस्टिवल से जुड़े कुछ फ़न फैक्ट्स से:

Performers enjoying in the audience gallary
JOVIAL TRIBESMAN OF NAGALAND
  • हार्नबिल 1 से 10 दिसंबर तक हर साल होता है। पर ये शुरू हुआ सन 2000 से — दिसंबर 1 को नागालैंड दिवस मनाया जाता है – बस फ़ेस्टिवल को भी उसी के साथ शुरू करने का निर्णय लिया गया।
  • हॉर्नबिल फ़ेस्टिवल नागालैंड की राजधानी कोहिमा से 12 किलोमीटर दूर किसामा नागा हेरिटेज विलेज में आयोजित किया जाता है।
  • किसामा गाँव में फ़ेस्टिवल का वेन्यू Mount Japfü के फुट-हिल्स में नागालैंड टूरिज्म का एम्फी-थिएटर होता है।
  • फ़ेस्टिवल में साइकिलिंग, बाइकिंग, फ़ोटोग्राफ़ी कम्पटीशन के अलावा नागालैंड की सभी 16 जनजातियों का सांस्कृतिक प्रदर्शन होता है।
  • फ़ेस्टिवल की गैलरी में बाँस और नागा संस्कृति से जुड़ीं तमाम चीज़ें बिकती है। मसलन आप क्रॉस बो से लेकर खुकरी, जापानी तलवारें, बाँस की कटलरी, फर्नीचर, कपड़े और भी बहुत कुछ ख़रीद सकते हैं।
  • फ़ेस्टिवल में इंडिया पोस्ट का एक काउंटर हर साल लगता है – 10 रुपये में एक पोस्टकार्ड मिलता है, आप यहीं से चिट्ठी भेज भी सकते है।

अब कुछ और बेसिक जानकारी अंग्रेजी में, ताकि ज़रूरी जानकारी सब तक पहुँच जाए!

How to reach Hornbill Festival in Kisama Heritage Village, Kohima in Nagaland

The festival is hosted by the Nagaland Tourism at the Kisama Heritage Village, 18 kilometers from Kohima, the capital of Nagaland. During festival, the parking is set up by the sides of the road leading to the venue. Nearest Airport to Kohima is Dimapur. Besides, Guwahati, the gateway to the North East of India is a four-hour drive from Kohima. However, the roads are in construction and hence we recommend choosing accordingly. 
Regular buses ply from Guwahati for Dimapur. From Dimapur, take a bus to Kohima.

Where to stay during the Hornbill Festival

If you are here in Kohima during Hornbill, you are a part of a town overwhelming with tourists from all over the world. Finding accommodation in the last hours can be tricky and costly. We stayed in Kohima at a hotel that could manage its staff’s accommodation for us – a hall with 6 beds and basic electricity. It cost us INR 200 per bed.
Kohima and the area around the Kisama Heritage Village are a part of a city. Besides, in Nagaland, it is not that easy to pitch tents anywhere for obvious reasons. However, near the festival venue, there are a couple of camping operators who can be useful. When we arrived, they did not have accommodation available. We had to ask a shack owner opposite the entry of the festival and they offered us a place to pitch tents by their shop – just opposite the gate. The bait was that we’d buy food from them which was not at all a bad deal!

What is there to do

The colorful audience gallery at the HOrnbill Festival which is one of the most popular festivals of India
दर्शक दीर्घा, हार्नबिल 2018

This actually comes across as an absurd question when you are in a land so happening and colorful. You could meet the tribesman and performers preparing nearby at the thatched Morung’s of the heritage village. Do shop from the exhibition stalls. There is World War 2 Cemetery that you can explore. Besides, the Hornbill Festival is famous for the kind of food options that it has. Do not miss upon the Rice beer served in bamboo flasks, relishing pork and several other organically cooked food options. One of the most striking presence among the food options at Hornbill is that of the locally produced Coffee and its various recipes.

CHECK OUT BAWRAY BANJARAY PHOTO BLOG ON RIVERS AND WATER BODIES OF INDIA

इतनी जानकारी काफ़ी है! सारा ज्ञान अगर हमने ही दे दिया तो फिर आप ख़ुद क्या घूमोगे! अब चलिए, आपको तस्वीरों के ज़रिए 2018 वाले हार्नबिल फ़ेस्टिवल दिखाते हैं. पेश है:

HORNBILL FESTIVAL 2018 – A DAY THROUGH OUR LENS

THE MAIN GATE: ENTRY TO THE FESTIVAL
फ़ेस्टिवल का मेन गेट

Entrance gate of the Naga Heritage Village where the Nagaland Tourism Board hosts the Hornbill Festival every year
ये है एंट्री – किसामा हेरिटेज विलेज जहाँ हार्नबिल फेस्टिवल आयोजित होता है

THE WALKTHROUGH BEGINS WITH THE EXHIBITIONS OF LOCAL PRODUCE AND HARVEST ON THE LEFT
अंदर जाते ही आपकी बाईं ओर आपको फ़ल, फ़ूल, साग – सब्ज़ियों की प्रदर्शनी मिलेगी

Winners of exhibition at the Nagaland Hornbill Fest 2018
फर्स्ट प्राइज वाला लहसुन!
कितना बेहतरीन है ये आप सूंघ कर बता सकते हैं!

AND YOU COULD TRY YOUR TASTE BUDS ON A FEW LOCAL DELICACIES HERE
और आप यहाँ पाई और बनाई जाने वाली कुछ चीज़ें तो ट्राय कर ही सकते हैं, जैसे

Bhhot Jolakia is the spiecient chilli in the world
BHHOT JHOLAKIYA – ONE OF THE SPICIEST CHILLIES IN THE WORLD
ये भूत झोलकिया – लोग बड़े चाव से खाते हैं इधर!
Cake at display in Hornbill 2018
स्टिकी राइस बाँस की बल्लियों में बनाते हैं.
यह उससे बना हुआ केक है!

ON THE RIGHT OF THIS EXHIBITION, IS THE MAIN AMPHITHEATRE – WHERE ALL THE ACTION HAPPENS!
और ये रही कुछ तसवीरें, हार्नबिल 2018 के तीसरे दिन से!

Experiencing the vibrant colors at Hornbill is among the best things to do in Nagaland
एम्फीथियेटर जहाँ सारा एक्शन होता है!
THE AMPHITHEATRE OF NAGALAND TOURISM WHERE ALL THE ACTION TAKES PLACE
A performance in progress at Hornbill Festival 2018
DURING A MOCK WARFARE AT THE FESTIVAL
बाँस की पतली बल्लियों से बनाई गयी बन्दूक और गोली का काम करती हैं बेड़ियाँ

ALSO READ – PHOTO BLOG ON SHANGARH MEADOW

A performer attaching his opponent at the Hornbill last year
A WARRIOR DURING HIS PERFORMANCE
इसे कहते हैं जब्बरदस्त पफोर्मन्स!
AND HE MANAGES TO PICK IT UP – ALL 100 KILOS
और इस जांबाज़ ने तो उठा ही लिया!
A warrior with his shield
A PARTICIPANT TRIES TO SHIELD HIMSELF DURING THE MOCK WARFARE AT THE FESTIVAL
Fierce warriors on a mock battle at the festival
PARTICIPANTS OF A TRIBE DURING THEIR PERFORMANCE ON DAY 3
लौंडे फुल चिल मोड में रहते हैं! आप इनसे फेस्टिवल के बाद मिलो तो पता लगेगा!
The Heritage Ground where the festival is hosted
THE NAGALAND TOURISM OFFICE IS JUST BEHIND THE AMPHITHEATRE

MUST READ: THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT MAJULI, THE LARGEST FLOATING RIVER ISLAND THAT’S DYING

AROUND THE AMPHITHEATRE IS WHERE THERE ARE OTHER STALLS AND THE FOOD JOINTS.

The shops during the exhibition at the Naga Heritage Village
A STALL SELLING T-SHIRTS, WEAPONS & ACCESSORIES AT THE HORNBILL 2018

AND IF YOU WANT, YOU CAN TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE KITCHEN!

Pork being prepared at one of the kitchens in the festival
WHAT”S COOKING?
बताओ भला, क्या पाक रहा है!

Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.”– Well, Keats had his share of chancing upon admiring beauty to its best. But, how does one define something as limitless! On BAWRAY BANJARAY IN NORTHEAST EXPEDITION, we had to go through an assault – of jaw-dropping elegance and a stunning lifestyle. Nagaland brought to us a belief of cultural prosperity that India could have celebrated better. You feel the liberation, and although it’s sad at times – you would be forced to miss the sense of inequalities in several other cultures of India and the world.

Beautiful ladies of North East

And guess what comes out of liberties from inequalities? Such freedom to ask for capturing a moment. A moment of their existence on such grand mayhem of daily lives that we loved sharing as a fellow human being. It’s that simple – just realise the power of sharing a space that has so much energy. Kohima was hypnotic for us. Nagaland was exhilarating. North East India is a darling!

Lady at Hornbill
NAGA LIFESTYLE IS ALL ABOUT GRACE AND ELEGANCE!

AND NOW, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN – HERE COMES THE VIDEO IN 4K! ENJOY!

If you are planning to go to the Hornbill Festival 2019 and have any questions and queries to ask, do let us know in the comments section below!

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