The popular Hornbill Festival of Nagaland will take place from December 1 to 10, 2021. The iconic festival celebrates the vibrant heritage and culture of the tribes of the mountainous state. It takes place for 10 days and usually begins on December 1. Lakhs of people from all over the world gather to attend the celebration. This year, 17 Nagaland tribes will take part in the mega event to showcase their art, culture and cuisine. The event will take place around the Kisama village in Nagaland. At the event, one can enjoy activities like mountain biking, walkathons, camping, stone pulling and loads more. One can also witness riveting World War II-themed car rallies. This northeastern celebration is also known as the ‘Festival of Festivals’.
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What Are The Current Rules For Visiting Nagaland?
Hornbill festival showcases the rich heritage, art forms, traditions and culinary excellence of the tribes of Nagaland. The state’s tourism industry depends largely on the festivities that commence around mid-October and continue till December. During these festival months, the hoteliers, travel agencies, guides and artisans of the state earn a lot of money. To visit Nagaland now, you will have to abide by the following rules:
- Travellers must show certificates of full vaccination or undergo RT-PCR tests upon entry. Children below 12 years of age accompanied by asymptomatic parents/guardians are exempt from the test.
- Those not fully vaccinated or between ages 12 to 18 must carry a negative RT-PCR/TRUENAAT/CBNAAT COVID-19 report with swab taken maximum 72 hours before the journey.
- Indians travelling to Nagaland need to apply for an inner line permit by clicking here.
- Foreign tourists need to register themselves at the Foreigner’s Registration Officer (FRO) of the district they visit or the nearest Police Station within 24 hours of arrival. They do not, however, need any inner line permit.
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Nagaland’s Hornbill Festival Took Place Virtually In 2020 Due To Coronavirus
In 2020, amid fears of COVID-19, the Hornbill Festival was conducted virtually to prevent the gathering of crowds. Though it could revive the state’s tourism sector, the authorities did not feel safe to invite visitors from outside. Several other popular festivals of India did not take place last year to curb the spread of the virus. The list included Kerala’s snake boat race festival and the state’s biggest temple festival ‘Thrissur Pooram’. Gudi Padwa of Maharashtra, Mahavir Jayanti of the Jains, Karaga of Bangalore and Rath Yatra of Puri had also been cancelled. But this year, as cases are declining, the Hornbill Festival is taking place physically and here are 5 reasons why should visit the festival.