23 days to go for Hornbill Festival

November 8, 2021 42 Views No Comment

POST-COVID NEGATIVE IMPACT ON LOCAL ECONOMY LOOMS LARGE

Correspondent Kohima, Nov 8 (NPN) : Nagaland is gearing up for the internationally acclaimed annual Hornbill Festival with the state government already in Hornbill-mode with hectic preparations to showcase the pride of the state from December 1 to 10.

In 2020, the Hornbill Festival went virtual after severe Covid-19 restrictions across India. However, a 50-minute telecast of the festival was broadcast globally to keep the festival spirit alive. Earlier in 2000, the Hornbill Festival was conceptualized as a gala cultural event for all tribes of the state who came together under one roof at Khuochiezie (Local Ground) to foster peace and unity.

The Hornbill Festival eventually shifted to its permanent venue at Kisama Heritage Village in 2003, some 12 Kms from Kohima. The Her `itage Villages is designed in the form of an ancient Naga village to give an authentic feel of a true Naga village and to experience travelling back in time. Over the years, the Hornbill Festival, from being a cultural showcase, has gradually metamorphosed into variety of local and global.

The Hornbill International Rock Contest draws thousands of young music enthusiasts from all over India and is a popular item. In 2019, five countries officially participated in the music festival.

In 2019, internationally renowned Hindi music composer Dr. A.R. Rahman who attended Hornbill Festival took to electronic and social media to millions across the world to promote brand Hornbill Festival.

Besides cultural troupes from neighboring states as well as other parts of the country, troupes from S. Korea, Thailand and Hungary etc have also participated in the festival.

As per post event analysis, Hornbill Festival has promoted tourism trade and related business such as hotels, restaurants where local youth are employed either as receptionists, managers, support staff, tourist taxi drivers, tour guides, photographers, videographers, creative artists, entertainers, IT experts, traditional dancers and singers, event managers, local craftsmen, weavers, caterers etc.

The report also claimed that in 2019 some 1631 persons were given direct employment which indirectly supported over 8000 families and dependents etc.

Another impact was home stays where local entrepreneurs have set up 300 home stays. During the ten-day festival income generated by the home stay was estimated at around Rs.2.25 crore (300 x Rs. 2500).

As per the report, during 2019 there were 3015 foreign tourists visiting the state during the Hornbill Festival besides 55,584 domestic tourists. The report also stated that during December 2019 Hornbill Festival, 98.9% of Rs. 100.73 crore or Rs. 99.62 crore came from domestic tourists.

The government maintains that the Hornbill Festival is not for profit but to promote tourism trade and industry. However, there is need for transparency on who decides to award contract and the process involved etc in the name of promoting Hornbill Festival. This has given rise to allegations of favoritism and nepotism since no tenders have been for award of various contract be it for sound, light, TV rights, food stalls, to catering for VVIPs, VIPs or IPs.

Visitors to Kohima will be welcomed by the deplorable road condition from Piphema to Kohima which has virtually come to standstill after some earth works were done some two to three years ago. Portions of the newly constructed stretch of the 4-lane road from Pagla Pahar to Medziphema are deteriorating even as work is still going on endlessly. The 4-lane road was supposed to be completed in 2018 and at the present pace, may not be completed even by 2022.

Source: http://www.nagalandpost.com/23-days-to-go-for-hornbill-festival/244078.html