Hornbill Festival

• 09 Dec 2024

Source: PIB 

Why in News?

The Prime Minister of India has congratulated the people of Nagaland on the completion of 25 years of the Hornbill Festival. 

• Nagaland is known as the land of festivals, and the Hornbill festival is referred to as the festival of festivals. 

What is the Hornbill Festival? 

• About: The Hornbill Festival, initiated in 2000, is Nagaland’s premier cultural event, showcasing the heritage of its 17 Naga tribes. Held from 1st December to 10th December, it coincides with Nagaland Statehood Day(1st December).  
  • Hornbill Festival is named after the hornbill bird, a symbol of fidelity, beauty, and grace in Naga folklore. 
• Cultural Celebration: Hornbill Festival serves as a platform for the Naga tribes to display their rich traditions through performances, dances, and exhibitions. 
  • Warriors, dressed in full ceremonial attire, perform traditional dances and war cries that narrate stories of victories, harvests, love, and tribal legends. 
    • Their distinctive attire features hornbill feathers, boar tusks, and colorful woven sashes, creating a striking display of Naga heritage and pride. 
  • It serves as the state's largest tourist event, attracting over 1.5 lakh visitors in 2023, including international tourists. 

Hornbill 

• The Great Indian Hornbill (Buceros bicornis), also known as the Concave-Casqued Hornbill, is a large bird found in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.  
  • It primarily inhabits evergreen and moist deciduous forests. 
  • It thrives in the canopy of tall trees in the Western Ghats, northeastern states, and the Himalayas. 
  • It is the state bird of Arunachal Pradesh and Kerala. India hosts nine hornbill species, with the northeast having the highest diversity. 

What are the Key Facts About Nagaland? 

• Statehood: Nagaland became the 16th state of India on 1st December 1963. 
  • Borders: Assam (west and northwest), Myanmar (east), Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur (south). 
• State Symbols: Blyth’s tragopan (State Bird) and Mithun (State Animal of Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh). 
  • The mithun (Bos frontalis) a bovine species, native to Northeast India, is now recognized by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) as a 'food animal', enabling its commercial farming and meat processing. 
• GI Products: Naga tree tomato, Naga cucumber, and Naga Mircha (chili). 
• Protected Areas: Intanki National Park, Fakim Wildlife Sanctuary, Singphan Wildlife Sanctuary, and Pulie Badze Wildlife Sanctuary. 
• Tribes and Culture: Home to 17 major tribes and numerous sub-tribes, each with distinct customs, languages, and attire. 

 

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Questions (PYQs) 

Prelims

Q. In which of the following regions of India are you most likely to come across the ‘Great Indian Hornbill’ in its natural habitat? (2016) 

(a) Sand deserts of northwest India  

(b) Higher Himalayas of Jammu and Kashmir  

(c) Salt marshes of western Gujarat  

(d) Western Ghats  

Ans: (d)