Hornbill Festival Experience in Nagaland

Nagaland is one of the most beautiful states of India and is a home to different indigenous tribes with their unique culture. People of this state have an affection of celebrating their cultures, deeds of their ancient warriors, etc through various festivals. So, we can call it as “The land of festivals” and the Hornbill festival is the biggest among all these celebrations by the warrior tribes. The local of Nagaland eagerly waits for the Hornbill festival and celebrates it with full enthusiasm every year.

Why is it called Hornbill Festival?
The reason behind the name of this festival is that the bird species “Hornbill” is treated as a symbol of respect and courage by the people of Nagaland and we can see that importance in various folk songs and dances.

Where is it Organized?
The Nagaland Hornbill festival is held at the Naga village which is around 12 Km far from the capital of Nagaland that is “Kohima” and this is the logic behind that it this event is sometimes also called as “Hornbill festival Kohima”.

Events at Hornbill Festival
There are various programs and events held every year at this festival whose main motive is to encourage the peace among all the 17 Naga tribes and boost their traditions, culture, customs, along with protecting their heritage. Besides the traditional performances, this festival include events like Master chef competition, Hornbill international musical festival, rock contest, cycle rally, snooker championship, car rally, amongst others. The main attractions of the festival include the many bands that perform, sometimes from different regions across the country as well. Other than all these, the Hornbill festival events also include a shopping festival, which displays the crafts and products designed by the locals of Nagaland. Cuisine and delicious dishes of the Nagaland served at the festival is an also an important attraction for the tourists.

Anecdotes presents a signature curated tour for the Hornbill Festival every year!

Celebrating Durga Puja

India, the land of holy places, rituals, festivals and rivers experiences different aspects of life mostly infused with religious rites, gestures and meanings. The seasons are marked with different festivals and the coming of autumn in India especially for the Bengali community marks the beginning of the largest festival, the Durga Puja. Out of the long list of colorful festivals in India, Navratri and Durga Puja are celebrated with a zeal that gives an experience that you will not find anywhere else.

The beauty of this festival can be experienced all over India, and if you are in Kolkata, you are blessed to experience something that you will cherish forever. Durga Pooja rituals start with the unique philharmonic of conch shells, the “UluDhyani” (tongue sounds by Bengali women), the rhythms of drums and the burning of incense along with the charismatic sounds of hymns and prayers mark the Durga Puja Celebration.

The Celebration of Good over Evil
Durga Puja is celebrated to mark the victory of Goddess Durga over Mahishasur. Durga Puja is celebrated in the last five days of Navratri when it is believed that Goddess Durga leaves her heavenly abode and visits Earth each year. The festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm and it is an occasion where especially the Bengali families come together from round the globe to West Bengal to celebrate with their friends and family.

The Special Durga Puja Pandals
The major attraction of the celebration is the “Pandals”, that is a temporary pavilion made as a place of worship where the different rituals and ceremonies take place. You will find a Pandal in every neighborhood in Kolkata as well as Bengali dominant areas in rest of the India. The beautifully decorated Pandals consist of Goddess Durga with eight or ten arms with the defeated demon beneath. Usually the Goddess idol is accompanied by the idols of Lord Ganesh and Lord Karthik (Goddess Durga’s Sons) and her Daughters Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Saraswati. The idols are decorated richly with jewelry and flower garlands.

Small or big, the decoration, the zeal and the enthusiasm of celebration is worth experiencing. If you are in Kolkata or any part of West Bengal, be ready to experience some of the best moments of the festival. Durga Puja concludes with the “visarjan” of the idols which means bidding farewell to Goddess Durga immersing the idols in the holy river.

If you are planning to witness this auspicious time of festival, then here is some vital information for you.

Which Time of the Year?
Durga Puja us held around the period of the Dussehra and Diwali festivals in India, expected in the months of October and November.

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