New Delhi: This Christmas, get ready to revel in the spirit of Northeast India’s vibrant culture. The capital’s biggest and most awaited fiesta – North East Festival – is back!
Experience the diverse food, crafts, and culture of the region, under one umbrella. It is scheduled to take place from December 23 to 26 at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi.
The tenth edition of the North East Festival will be inaugurated by G. Kishan Reddy, union minister for Culture, Tourism and Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER).
Piyush Goel, minister of Commerce, Sarbananda Sonowal, union minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Kiren Rijiju, union Law minister are also likely to attend the Northeast Festival in New Delhi.
The chief ministers of the eight states region will also attend the winter festivity in New Delhi.
The first seven editions were organised from 2013 to 2019 at IGNCA at Janpath in New Delhi, and witnessed massive crowds. And the last two editions were held in Guwahati, in a hybrid model, due to the insurgence of COVID-19.
“After two years of lockdown, social distancing, and various COVID-19 protocols, we’re extremely happy and excited to be back in New Delhi,” Syiamkanu Mahanta, the chief organizer of the festival, said.
The North East Festival year has an exciting line-up of colourful dance dramas, music performances, mask presentations, fashion shows, open-mic sessions and a lot more.
A North East Rock Battle will be organized among various rock bands from across India.
As many as 50 food stalls will present diverse food items not only from Northeast India but across Delhi-NCR to encourage cross-cultural awareness and exchange. Ever-enthusiastic food lovers should try out jadoh, sanpiau, iromba, masor tenga, smoked pork, and more.
The musical extravaganza includes exclusive artistes from different genres – from folk to rock, pop to jazz.
Bands include Klanjan (Assam), Innocent Eyes (Manipur), Traffic Jam (Manipur), Flying Cupid (Assam), Bipul Chetri & The Travelling Band (Sikkim/Darjeeling), Trance Effect (Nagaland), Taba Chake (Arunachal Pradesh), and Jessie Lyndoh (Meghalaya).
Other popular artistes and bands include the poster boy of Assam Zubeen Garg, Achurja Barpatra, and When Chai Met Toast.
The nights will also witness electrifying performances by star DJs from the region. Another highlight will be the battle of the bands – a rock music competition – for the youths of North East and Delhi.
The fashion shows will see 16 designers of the region featuring local fabrics and designs on models and celebrities from the states.
The exhibition arena, which aims to showcase ‘Made in North East’ products, will have an MSME zone, wherein more than 100 MSME entrepreneurs of North East India will showcase agri-horti products, handloom, handicrafts, processed food products and much more.
Around 140 stalls will be put up for this exhibition and a marketplace will be created wherein visitors can explore and buy authentic and original products from the region.
Additionally, tourism stalls will be set-up to promote the region’s popular and off-beat places.
A booklet titled ‘Know Your North East’ will also be launched in the presence of North East India’s icons, which will further be distributed in schools and universities for educating and inspiring people to explore and identify the region’s rich heritage.
