Nagaland is all set to celebrate Hornbill Festival from December 1 to December 10. The cultural festival which is also known as the 'Festival of Festivals' is held for a period of 10 days. The festival which symbolises 'Respect and Folklore' among Nagas is named after the hornbill bird.

The inaugural event at Naga Heritage Village, Kisama, near Kohima saw a total of 45,142 tourists, 407 foreign and 4,954 domestic guests. Organised by the State Tourism and Art & Culture Departments, the Hornbill Festival will put on display varying cultures, traditions and culture. Pink Water Lilies Bloom in 100-Acre Field in Kerala' Kottayam District; Breathtaking Sight Attracts Tourists at Ambattu Kadavu And Malarikkal Village (See Pictures)

This year, the Nagaland government has decided to make it a zero-waste event by reducing the use of single-use plastic bottles and bags. This year the festival will be celebrated on a larger scale as it has partnered with Airbnb. Traditional archery, Naga wrestling, traditional art exhibitions, paintings, sculptures, and a food festival will be hosted by around 17 Naga tribes.

The Hornbill Cultural festival is held in the Naga Heritage village of Kisama located 12 km from Kohima. The event will include various sports and games, fashion shows, beauty competitions other than bamboo carnivals. The Hornbill festival will be held in two districts, a music festival in Dimapur and cultural events in Kohima. Over 50 bands from across India, Hungary, Thailand and Indonesia and more than 100 musicians will perform this year. Shirui Lily Festival 2019 Begins in Manipur: Carpet of Rare Pink Flowers Attract Tourists to Ukhrul Town; Know All About The Annual Event (Pictures And Videos)

It portrays the richness and uniqueness of the Naga heritage. Those visiting the land can witness their archives, carnival, historical archives, handloom and beautiful handicraft of the land.

During the inaugural event, Neiphiu Rio, Chief Minister of Nagaland was quoted as saying, "Nagaland is a treasure trove of tourism, offering a plethora of unique experiences and Airbnb's global platform will augment the tourism growth rate. As our official accommodation partner for the Hornbill Festival, we look forward to working with Airbnb to welcome more international and domestic tourists to Nagaland." Rio formally inaugurated the festival of festivals by sounding the traditional gong.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 02, 2019 01:15 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).