The North East Festival is all set to take place this Christmas season from 23 to 26 December at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (gate no 14), New Delhi.
Visitors can experience the diverse food, crafts and culture of the Northeast region at this festival.
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), Government of India.
The other guests expected to grace the festival are Piyush Goel, Minister of Commerce & Industry (2019-present), Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution; Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Cabinet Minister, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways & Ministry of Ayush; Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of Law & Justice; and the respective chief ministers of the region among other dignitaries.
Since its inception in 2013, the festival has contributed towards a significant rise in boosting tourism in the Northeastern states. The first seven editions were organised from 2013 to 2019 respectively at IGNCA, Janpath, New Delhi, and witnessed good turnouts. The last two editions were held in Guwahati, in a hybrid model, due to COVID-19.
Chief Organiser of the North East Festival, Shyamkanu Mahanta, said: “After two years of lockdown, social distancing, and various COVID-19 protocols, we’re extremely happy and excited to be back to our favourite place; i.e., Delhi. The city has always given us love. As the name goes, North East Festival – Connecting people Celebrating life – is a festival that celebrates the beauty, diversity and integrity of Northeast India.
Credit: North East Festival.
“The USP of this festival is the way in which we seamlessly integrate elements of social cohesion, cultural heritage and economic welfare, making them an immersive experience for all. We’ve been able to sensitise people to recognise and respect the opulent and diverse heritage that the region holds. People are now aware of our culture and traditions, and that has helped in reducing racism, racial discrimination, and xenophobia – a major issue faced by Northeast Indians. This time, we’ve chosen a much bigger venue, thus expecting greater footfall.”
The 2022 North East Festival has an exciting line-up of colourful dance dramas, music performances, mask presentations, fashion shows, open-mic sessions and many other activities. A North East Rock Battle will be organised where various rock bands from across India are expected to take part.
Credit: Manoj Sagolsem Photography.
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. For the ever-enthusiastic food lovers, food dishes like jadoh, sanpiau, iromba, masor tenga and smoked pork are recommended.
The musical extravaganza will include exclusive artistes from different genres – folk, rock, pop and jazz among others. 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 the Northeast and Delhi.
The fashion shows will see 16 designers of the Northeast 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 Northeast India will showcase agri-horti products, handloom, handicrafts and processed food products among other items.
Credit: North East Festival.
Around 140 stalls will be put up for this exhibition and a marketplace will be created so that visitors can explore and buy authentic, original products from the Northeast 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 Northeast 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.
Along with culture, gastronomy, entrepreneurship, costumes, the festival will also celebrate regional art forms and languages, adding to its diversity and vibrancy.
