Morung Express News
Kisama | December 4
The 2024 Hornbill Festival has drawn a diverse array of visitors, each sharing glowing reviews of Nagaland’s cultural richness and warm hospitality.
Satajid Dheer, a content creator from Sonipat, Haryana, attending the festival for the ninth consecutive year since discovering it online in 2017, observed substantial development. “Around 70 to 80 per cent of the development work has been completed,” Dheer, known as ‘Desi Solo Traveller’.
He pointed to major upgrades in infrastructure, management and artist line-ups, noting the presence of many new performers this year compared to the repetition seen in earlier editions. Dheer also addressed common misconceptions about Nagaland, urging people to visit before forming opinions.
“At least once in your life, you should visit Nagaland. Even if not during the Hornbill Festival, just visit the state—you will have a great experience,” he said, describing the people as “humble, friendly, and welcoming.” He added that while Nagaland's cold is pleasant compared to Haryana's extreme heat, the Kisama festival venue in December is “quite chilly.”
Sabina, a tour operator from Germany who has been visiting Nagaland since 2014, also noted significant improvements since her last visit in 2019. “The activities inside the festival arena are now much more organised,” she said.
However, she cited the persistent challenge of hotel availability in Kohima and found the cold weather difficult, though she was relieved there was no rain during her stay.
First-time attendee Gili from Jerusalem, Israel, described his experience as “very positive.” “I was thrilled to see the diversity of the tribes and how they preserve and showcase their traditions. I feel very blessed to witness all of this,” he said, adding that the winter weather felt similar to that of Jerusalem.
A first-time visitor from Maharashtra found Nagaland “very beautiful and mystical,” praising its abundant greenery and forest cover. He expressed appreciation for the strong cultural connection of the Naga people, calling it the state’s “greatest strength.”
Especially impressed by the vibrant traditional attire, he said, “I bought shawls and mufflers and wore them around Kohima.” Planning a return trip with his family, he noted the need for advanced planning as “hotel bookings fill up months in advance.”
