Temjen Imna Along hails 'overwhelming' response to Nagaland's Hornbill Festival

As Nagaland's Hornbill Festival nears its conclusion at the Naga Heritage Village in Kisama, Minister of Tourism and Higher Education, Temjen Imna Along shared that the response from both domestic and international tourists, as well as from local visitors, has been overwhelmingly positive.

Tourists from both within and outside the region are flocking to the village to experience the vibrant culture of Nagaland during the 25th edition of the festival. 

Speaking to ANI, Along, said, "The 25th edition of the Hornbill Festival has come to the 8th day today, and the response of the tourists, both domestic and international, and our own local tourists has been very overwhelming." He said that the participation of the art and culture team from all over the state has truly been phenomenal. 

"Their hard efforts are actually being a pleasure for all the tourists that have come, especially for all of us also, to see them perform so well." 

He lauded the TAFMA, the music festival where more than thousands of music connoisseurs are participating from all over the world, all over the country, and the state's own local performers. 

Along said that the 25th edition has brought about a great dynamic change to the way the Hornbill Festival is looked at today.

Stating that the festival is not only about tourism but also about networking, the privilege, and the chance to meet Brand Nagaland, known throughout the world. He said that he was surprised that tourists from Kerala, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Punjab, and Delhi, and even from Kashmir, are here in the state. 

Adding that the state's local partners, Sikkim, have a huge contingent while Telangana has been so good to the people, I am sure that this Hornbill Festival is able to bring about the story of the Nagas to them," he said, and added that "not only in merrymaking and commemorative experience of the 25th edition, but also about the culture, about the way of life, the way we think, the way we love to work hard, the way we want to resonate our state to become a prosperous state, and all these things can happen if we all work together like this."

The minister also added, "Just two more days to go, tomorrow and the day after. I pray that everyone would come together, and it's going to be a wonderful culmination with some beautiful performances." 

He said that the band Blue Mountain is set to perform on the last day."One of the handsome and beautiful film stars from Bollywood is also expected to be here on the last day," Along informed. 

Adding that a lot of eminent personalities, at the same time, the tourists would be at an all-time record high. "So you can expect a wonderful culmination of the 25th edition, and the countdown starts for the 26th edition." 

According to a government release, Hornbill Festival, often referred to as the 'Festival of Festivals', is known for its diverse cultural performances, including music, dance, and traditional art forms. 

Running from December 1 to December 10, this year's festival is poised to be a grand celebration of Nagaland's rich cultural heritage, alongside global artistic partnerships.