A Quick Glance of the Hornbill Festival 2019

Hornbill Festival 2019 started with a bang and numerous visitors attended the festival. The festival lasted for 10 days and I was enthralled by the exotic Naga Culture that was displayed right in front of me. 
Everything was just amazing starting from the art and crafts till the Naga war dance. And not forgetting the delish cuisine.

Photo Courtesy Samuel H Meitei

Hornbill Festival 2019

People from all over the world came to witness this authentic festival, it was really a spectacular event one should definitely pay a visit. Many shows and contests were held with participants taking part from different parts of the country. People were seen enjoying and making merry, it was such a wonderful sight to look at. The food were also luscious and appetizing which added an extra excitement to the whole visit.

Guys let me take you to a brief tour to the Hornbill Festival 2019, hope you will definitely want to visit the next Hornbill Festival after seeing this.

Entrance at the Hornbill Festival

The festival is held in Kisama which is 12 km away from Kohima. As you step in the area there will be people welcoming you with a wrist band which costs rupees 20 per head. 

I firstly visited  The Naga Organic Pavilion and it was just amazing. You just get to see a variety of locally grown food crops such as millet, beans, tapioca, kiwi, maize, cardamon, pine apple and lots more.

Naga Organic Pavilion

Also locally brewed wine were also available in different flavors. One could also buy the items available there and have a taste of the food products grown in Nagaland.
They had so much items in display along with the names making it easy for the viewers

Locally Brewed Wine

The Floral Galleria was exceptionally beautiful and eye catching to me. Beautiful flowers were on display. Floral arrangement competitions were also held where winners were given rewards.

Flowers in the floral galleria

The Kaleidoscope Galleria was truly amazing. It comprised of all the freshly grown food crops like the oranges, bananas, lettuce, spinach, etc and also they were given prizes for the best grown food crops. People work tremendously hard for growing these food crops and winning a prize for their effort brings a big smile on their face.

Freshly Grown Crops in the Kaleidoscope galleria

Not forgetting the Morungs of different Naga Tribes which caught the attention of every visitors. The Morungs were all made of wood, bamboo and hay which gives it a tribal look. Besides one could also enjoy the cuisines served at the morungs which were just yum.
I personally tried the Lotha cuisine which was the Smoked Pork with Bamboo Shoots and it was really delicious, they also provided axone and ginger chutney with some boiled leaves which complemented the whole cuisine.

Morungs at the Hornbill Festival

The World War 11 Museum reminds us of the time when the brave soldiers lost their lives for people like us. The gallery also reminds us of  the great works done by Mahatma Gandhi which was amazingly inspiring. 
It featured the water bombs, aircraft bombs, rifles, and various bombs that were used during the WWII. 
They also featured old times currencies which was very interesting and one could also purchase them if they like. 

World War II Museum

WHAT ABOUT THE FOOD??
Well friends, food is something we cannot miss, especially when it comes to events like this in Nagaland. The food they prepare is delicious and appetizing and the best part is they prepare them with all the local ingredients which is not only tasty but nutritious as well.
We visited some restaurants and they were really good, some restaurants were veg while others were non-veg. They provided good portions at reasonable prices.

Foods at the Hornbill Festival

Arts and Crafts exhibition really caught my eyes as they were beautifully and creatively crafted, these crafts ranged from traditional ornaments,wooden crafts, daos, traditional garments, hand made flowers, pots and pans, paintings etc. One could explore beautiful Nagaland in this very festival itself.

                  

What about the Competitions, shows, and war dance???
A lot of competitions were held both for Children and adults. Many people went home bagging prizes which brought joy and pride to them and to their families. It was an amazing sight to see people taking part with so much enthusiasm and zeal. The event also played an important role in displaying the hidden talent of the Nagas which was incredible.

Some of the list of Competitions that were held are given below:

International Photo Fest

• World War II Peace Rally
• International Hornbill Naga Wrestling Championship
• Hornbill Badminton Championship
• Kids Carnival
• Naga Chef Season 7
• International Strongest and Fittest Competition
• Open Art Competition
• Hornbill First Cut Inter Collegiate Entrepreneurship Competition
• Naga Chili Eating Competition
• Pineapple Eating Competition
• Hornbill International Shooting Championship
• Hornbill International Photo Fest
• Annual Hornbill Cycle Rally

Shows and concerts forms the major part of the event where renowned artists and bands gives brilliant performances making the event more lively and spectacular. Hornbill Festival Nights are filled with such incredible performances which brings live to the whole event.
Many artists performed in the event with their powerful and mesmerizing voices which was fantastic.
The Winter Fantasia was an amazing evening of classical and jazz music with some of the best singer and artists.
The Glocal Hornbill International Film Festival also featured some of the most talented film makers of time.
The Hornbill Music Festival which is the India's Biggest Music Festival highlighted some really talented musicians and artists with their best performances.
The Tetseo Sisters were the center of the event mesmerizing us with their enchanting voices. They desire to share their culture with the rest of the world through Lis, the traditional songs of Nagaland and they have been successful in doing so.

The last day of the event was concluded with the presence of Mr A.R Rahman one of the worlds finest music director.

 Hornbill 2019 was a grand success with large number of people attending the festival. As per the record people attending the event this year was more than that compared to the previous years which is a big achievement in itself.

Living in this modern world it is very crucial that such events are organised which not only bring people from different regions together but also displays the authentic culture of the same region. It gives people the chance to know and admire the cultures and ethics a region has and also promote them in the best way possible.

Hornbill Festival of Nagaland is once such festival which not only brings the people of different tribes closer but also promote the Naga traditions through dance, songs, dramas, games and also through the arts and crafts.