Hornbill Festival in Nagaland is organised by Government of Nagaland every year in the month of December from 1st to 10th. It is a unlike anything that happens in India and is a testimony of the rich and diverse culture of Nagaland. To make a comparison, it is like an olympics for the 17 tribes in Nagaland which inhabit various district. Various sports competitions like spear throw and archery is the part of the event. Also, one could be a witness to the cultural programs by various tribes displaying their rich dance, music and daily ritual. The concept of festival is not merely limited to the display alone and you can actually participated in various events like Naga chilly eating competition and Rock Band competition with a bumper price money. There are mega events late at night in the city of Kohima and the whole city turns into a carnival for ten days.
I first came to know about this festival in the first year of under-graduation at IIT Guwahati. At that time I was trying to absorb the culture of North East and a friend from this region suggested that I should go to Hornbill festival to know about Nagaland. So I made up my mind to it and planned to go there during winter breaks in my second year.
To Nagaland
As usual there was an urge from inside to go alone as has been my philosophy. I feel that somehow I can introspect more in this free time, that I can come more closer to myself and the surroundings through these ventures. I can also learn more about culture and the beauty that I travel to seek, alone in a meditative state.
We get a month break during December in winters. On 5th December after going thorough a little about how to get there in Nagaland. I picked up my backpack and camera and headed straight to the Railway station. I took a general ticket to the Dimapur Station in Nagaland and boarded a train.
I have always noticed that people in North-East are very inquisitive when they see someone from the other part of country, travelling with them and in that spirit of enquiry I was involved into conversation by the fellow passengers in the train. As soon as they got know that I am travelling alone to Nagaland they got very concerned. Most of them being Assamese advised me against it, stating various incidents of kidnapping and killing in the recent past. It was not as if only one or two people were against they idea, they very same idea was reiterate throughout the journey of six hours and this painted a rather gory picture of Nagaland in my mind. I started thinking of getting down at Nagaland and taking the next train to Guwahati, whichever I am able to find and all that.
Finally the wait was over, a thousand thoughts were hitting my mind. Should I get down and stay in Dimapur for night? or should I simple wait at railway station and take a next train to Guwahati. I was frightened about that I am sure.
In Nagaland
After this mental conflict I made up my mind. As I have come along, I won't go back unless I see for myself, If the problem exists at all. As soon as I came out of station a young man with Bihari accent came next to me and asked if I needed some help. He said that "As I am from his country" he wanted to help me in a "foreign" land. I didn't mind the way he referred and gladly accepted his help. He helped me in getting an accommodation in a Hotel which was managed by Biharis who settled in Nagaland. After putting my luggage inside, I planned to take a look outside, know a little about the situation in Nagaland, whether it is safe for me to proceed and things like that.
I was told by the Gentleman sitting in Reception of the Hotel that it was fairly safe and that such incidents about which I was told are very sporadic and rare but are blown out of proportion by some people with vested interests. After hearing this I got by breath back and inquired about the way forward to Kohima.
Towards Kohima
They charge you Rs 220 for a government regulated Taxi to Kohima. You can catch the taxis just outside the Railway station and the journey is very comfortable.
It takes some three to four hours to reach Kohima from Dimapur. As I we started climbing up, I came across more and more tourists and this made me all the more comfortable with my surroundings and with this confidence I carried on.
The vegetation of the hill is no wonder beautiful. The language of Nagaland is English so conversing with the local people was not a problem. On the way I came across a lot of sign board, instructing about Hornbill festival, its history and its aims.
After a ride of some four hours I landed in Kohima, the capital of Nagaland. It is like any other hill station in india. Jammed with traffic and beautiful landscape covered with concrete towers. As I got down, I was engaged into a conversation by a local and, I wanted to visit the World War Two memorial in Kohima before heading towards the Hornbill village.
It was on a walking distance from the place I landed and so within ten minutes I was able to reach the place. Although we talk about it very less in our history but the war at Kohima played a great role in Indian Independence from British and from any other colonial power. The Azad Hind Fauj, with Subash Chandra Bose as its leader and Imperial Japanese army in its supports attached the eastern front of the India. Kohima is a strategic place from where the situation around the region can be controlled and Japanese Army Planned on capturing that during second world war.
The most fierce battle took place on the Tennis court of the than Deputy Commissioner's bungalow. That area is still preserved by the British Commonwealth Organisation. Also in the World War two memorial you can find the gravestones of all those Muslim and Christian soldiers who died in the battle. The name of Hindu soldiers, who of course were not buried are there on an another stone.
There is an amphitheatre right in the middle of the village where a lot of competitions and cultural programs take place. When I went there the spear throwing event was going on, there were representatives from all the tribes trying to hit the bull's eye with this giant dart. As competition got over I started looking for some snacks. There was this one store which I came across whose owner was from Pachuri tribe, I asked him if he had some "Zouthou", which is a traditional drink of Naga people and he said he has plenty, Also that Zouthou of different tribes are different and I must tribe them all. The drink was indeed great, unlike general beer or alcoholic drinks it is sour in taste and makes your head light. After have some Zouthou I started taking the tour of the village.
There I got to know that Each tribe has built one "Morung", that is the house for display. Where they keep there traditional weapons, utensils which they still use to cook food, the hosts inside each of these houses are dressed in there traditional attire and you may if you want click a picture with them. I started talking to many of these hosts and got to know a fair deal about there tribe, some principals which they follow, the district from which they belong, food which they eat and so on. In one such Morung I met Moko and he inquired where I was out in Nagaland and after knowing that I am still to decide he quickly came forward to help with it. I gladly accepted and after few more glasses of Zouthou I joined him in his car towards Kohima again.
At night Kohima city is a carnival, there was a performance by Smokey in the city. The hotels in the city were jam packed but at the end of the day I was able to find room in one decent hotel, I thanked Moko and asked told him that we shall meet the next day, he said he would pick me up from the hotel itself.
After keeping by luggage in the room, I went out in the city. I was mesmerised by the beauty of Naga Woman. Also at the end of one street corner the Karaoke was going and I sat there for a while. Most of the songs were Christian Pop and I was not able to make out but in any case they sounded good. After strolling in the city for an hour I came back to hotel and ended my day.
Next morning Moko came right on time and we headed to Hornbill Village. I went to see the World war two museum, it still has a detail about the war formations, scrolls from that time and other informations. After that I walked around several Morungs and tried the local cuisine in some of them. There was a cultural program where several tribes performed there local dances, most of the dances in Nagaland a procedural, expressing the act of doing something. I had some more Zouthou with Moko as he claimed that I haven't tried the best one yet, So After I was couple of glasses down we came back to Kohima city.
There we meet three friends of Moko, one of them his girlfriend and the other two her sisters. We hung around the city searching for places hangout. There was a fair in the city so we took little rides, wearing those flashy masks. I took a round of the markets in the city and then said a finally adieu to my friends.
I took another shared cab to Dimapur, within two hours I was there, took another General ticket from the station, this time more confidently and as I was waiting for the train, I stated talking to a gentleman from Meghalaya. He started lecturing about life, family, responsibility and fun. Taking a note of all that, it was time for me to leave the place.
In my mind the I was clear that there was no danger in Nagaland and my experience proved it right. The propaganda will continue and is continuing but people like me will go, live, enjoy and know about people of that beautiful land always.
Coming back to Guwahati, I for the first time felt that I was back home. I had a lot of treasures with me in my bag, a bamboo cup in which Zouthou is served, Naga Chilly and some pleasant memories captured as pictures.
After a ride of some four hours I landed in Kohima, the capital of Nagaland. It is like any other hill station in india. Jammed with traffic and beautiful landscape covered with concrete towers. As I got down, I was engaged into a conversation by a local and, I wanted to visit the World War Two memorial in Kohima before heading towards the Hornbill village.
It was on a walking distance from the place I landed and so within ten minutes I was able to reach the place. Although we talk about it very less in our history but the war at Kohima played a great role in Indian Independence from British and from any other colonial power. The Azad Hind Fauj, with Subash Chandra Bose as its leader and Imperial Japanese army in its supports attached the eastern front of the India. Kohima is a strategic place from where the situation around the region can be controlled and Japanese Army Planned on capturing that during second world war.
The most fierce battle took place on the Tennis court of the than Deputy Commissioner's bungalow. That area is still preserved by the British Commonwealth Organisation. Also in the World War two memorial you can find the gravestones of all those Muslim and Christian soldiers who died in the battle. The name of Hindu soldiers, who of course were not buried are there on an another stone.
Around Kisama Village
After spending some time in Memorial I took a taxi to the Kisama Village where the Hornbill festival actually takes place. Next to the entrance there is a World War two Museum, there are several local craftsman sitting around it, displaying the rich Naga art of weaving and painting. There was also an exhibition of photographs and paintings where the local and the international artists have captured the beauty of Nagaland and its people.There is an amphitheatre right in the middle of the village where a lot of competitions and cultural programs take place. When I went there the spear throwing event was going on, there were representatives from all the tribes trying to hit the bull's eye with this giant dart. As competition got over I started looking for some snacks. There was this one store which I came across whose owner was from Pachuri tribe, I asked him if he had some "Zouthou", which is a traditional drink of Naga people and he said he has plenty, Also that Zouthou of different tribes are different and I must tribe them all. The drink was indeed great, unlike general beer or alcoholic drinks it is sour in taste and makes your head light. After have some Zouthou I started taking the tour of the village.
There I got to know that Each tribe has built one "Morung", that is the house for display. Where they keep there traditional weapons, utensils which they still use to cook food, the hosts inside each of these houses are dressed in there traditional attire and you may if you want click a picture with them. I started talking to many of these hosts and got to know a fair deal about there tribe, some principals which they follow, the district from which they belong, food which they eat and so on. In one such Morung I met Moko and he inquired where I was out in Nagaland and after knowing that I am still to decide he quickly came forward to help with it. I gladly accepted and after few more glasses of Zouthou I joined him in his car towards Kohima again.
At night Kohima city is a carnival, there was a performance by Smokey in the city. The hotels in the city were jam packed but at the end of the day I was able to find room in one decent hotel, I thanked Moko and asked told him that we shall meet the next day, he said he would pick me up from the hotel itself.
After keeping by luggage in the room, I went out in the city. I was mesmerised by the beauty of Naga Woman. Also at the end of one street corner the Karaoke was going and I sat there for a while. Most of the songs were Christian Pop and I was not able to make out but in any case they sounded good. After strolling in the city for an hour I came back to hotel and ended my day.
Next morning Moko came right on time and we headed to Hornbill Village. I went to see the World war two museum, it still has a detail about the war formations, scrolls from that time and other informations. After that I walked around several Morungs and tried the local cuisine in some of them. There was a cultural program where several tribes performed there local dances, most of the dances in Nagaland a procedural, expressing the act of doing something. I had some more Zouthou with Moko as he claimed that I haven't tried the best one yet, So After I was couple of glasses down we came back to Kohima city.
There we meet three friends of Moko, one of them his girlfriend and the other two her sisters. We hung around the city searching for places hangout. There was a fair in the city so we took little rides, wearing those flashy masks. I took a round of the markets in the city and then said a finally adieu to my friends.
Back Again
Next morning I met another tourist, residing in the same Hostel as I was, a software engineer from Bangalore exploring North East. He asked for certain directions which I gladly helped him with and then headed for the taxi stand.I took another shared cab to Dimapur, within two hours I was there, took another General ticket from the station, this time more confidently and as I was waiting for the train, I stated talking to a gentleman from Meghalaya. He started lecturing about life, family, responsibility and fun. Taking a note of all that, it was time for me to leave the place.
In my mind the I was clear that there was no danger in Nagaland and my experience proved it right. The propaganda will continue and is continuing but people like me will go, live, enjoy and know about people of that beautiful land always.
Coming back to Guwahati, I for the first time felt that I was back home. I had a lot of treasures with me in my bag, a bamboo cup in which Zouthou is served, Naga Chilly and some pleasant memories captured as pictures.
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