Visitors from home and abroad will be missing this time round at the 2020 edition of the Hornbill Festival from Tuesday because the muchawaited event has gone virtual because of the ongoing Covid19 pandemic.

A government statement on Monday said the Nagaland Virtual Hornbill Festival 2020 will be celebrated in a completely virtual mode and will be telecast through three TV channels and will also be made available on social media platforms.

The virtual event, government sources said, will at least give a sense of what the festival is all about and why one should attend it.

Mengu and band, from Kohima, performing at the Hornbill Festival in the 2019 edition at Kisama

The government, they said, decided to go ahead with the virtual mode because it felt holding it symbolically was better than going blank as it will keep alive the buzz around the festival.

Not without reason. The festival has emerged as a key vehicle for showcasing Naga culture and traditions and development of the tourism industry by attracting people from all across the globe.

“We decided to go ahead symbolically because safety comes first. It would have been difficult to host the festival because of the Covid19 safety protocols. Holding it symbolically is better than going blank because it is a globally recognised festival. It will keep the spirit alive. Hopefully, we will return next year much bigger, much better and in a more colourful avatar. We are sure the virtual mode will convey the essence of the festival,” Khehovi Yeputhomi, adviser, tourism, art & culture, government of Nagaland, told The Telegraph.

Last year, the festival generated business worth Rs 100 crore over ten days and attracted footfall of about 2,82,811 visitors, signifying the importance the government and the people of the state attach to the festival, the biggest in the northeast.

“I have been in love with the Northeast for many years, and this, my first trip to Nagaland, has captured my heart even more.”

Music maestro AR, Rahman said after his visit to the state during the Hornbill Festival in 2019. He was among the 2,82,811 visitors who attended the festival over ten days, including 55,584 domestic tourists and 3,015 from abroad.

It is held every year between December 1 to 10 at the heritage village of Kisama, about 10 km from state capital Kohima. The music festival is held in Dimapur, the commercial capital of the state. The first edition was held in 2000. The festival starts coinciding with the Statehood Day celebrations. Nagaland attained statehood on December 1, 1963.

Theja Meru, the director of the Hornbill Music Festival, told this newspaper that the festival has a strong emotional connect with the people because of its inclusive nature.

“ All 16 tribes of the state participate. Not being able to hold the fest pains the heart but then we cannot ignore the safety of our people. By adopting the virtual mode, the government has kept the show going even during the pandemic,” Meru said.

According to the government statement, the virtual event will be showcased on NDTV 24x7 (Dec 1 — 10:30 am & Dec 5 12.30 pm); Northeast Live (Dec 1 — 11:30 am & Dec 3 — 3.30 pm) and Doordarshan Kendra ( Dec 1 — 5:30 PM & Dec 4 — 3 pm). It will also be uploaded and made available to viewers on all social media platforms.

A message from chief minister Neiphiu Rio wishing everyone a “very happy virtual Hornbill Festival” on Monday evening said, “ The pandemic has created new normals, and accordingly Nagaland is rewriting the tourism script by aligning the industry to the changed dynamics. Once the world reopens, Nagaland will be prepared with a tourism narrative, that is in tune with a post Covid scenario, and the Naga people will be ready to welcome you to this beautiful land, where, together we will create experiences that will become lifelong memories. I wish all citizens of Nagaland and our wellwishers and friends all around the world, a Happy “virtual” Hornbill Festival.”

Rio’s message also harped on the economics of the festival that signifies unity and oneness in all aspects while exemplifying the vast potentials and aspirations of our youth.

“Most of the events are conceptualised, curated and implemented by young entrepreneurs, event management groups, innovators and nongovernment organisations that create a 100 crore plus Hornbill economy which generates more than 8000 jobs and is home to more than 500 events held across 6 districts of Nagaland.”