Nagaland: Hornbill Festival 2025 draws 1.13 lakh visitors in six days

Guwahati: The 26th Hornbill Festival has attracted 1,13,667 visitors in its first six days, the Nagaland government said on Sunday.

According to official data, local and domestic tourists made up most of the attendees, while foreign visitor numbers remained stable.

The total included 1,645 foreigners, 28,637 domestic tourists, and 83,385 local visitors.

Saturday recorded the highest turnout with 22,786 visitors, including 205 foreigners, 5,792 domestic tourists, and 16,789 local attendees.

Daily attendance for the first five days was 22,508, 18,010, 15,324, 15,753, and 19,286 respectively.

Organisers expect the numbers to increase further as the 10-day festival continues.

The 18 tribes of Nagaland on Sunday showcased their rich culture and traditions to thousands of attendees.

Deputy Chief Minister Yanthungo Patton served as host, with Advisor and MLA Kekhrielhoulie Yhome as co-host.

Special guests included S. Krishnan, Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, and Bhuvank Vaidya, Head of Music and Podcast India at Spotify.

Sunday’s events also included Advent Christmas celebrations organised by the Nagaland Legislators’ Christian Fellowship and the Nagaland Joint Christian Forum.

Deputy Chief Minister TR Zeliang called for unity among Nagas and warned that divisions between groups, both aboveground and underground, could hinder progress and stability without divine guidance.

He said the nativity story shows how people from different backgrounds can come together in hope.

Zeliang praised NJCF for promoting unity across denominations and encouraged the spirit of togetherness to extend to all aspects of society.

NJCF secretary Rev. Moses Murry extended Christmas greetings and appreciated the support of the Chief Minister and organisers in holding the celebration.