Stage set for Hornbill Festival tomorrow

Kohima, Nov 30 (UNI) The stage is all set to celebrate famous Hornbill Festival, 2006, "the showcase of Nagaland", where the Naga tribes will exhibit their traditional and cultural items for a week from tomorrow.

The festival will be inaugurated by Nagaland Governor Shyamal Datta at the Heritage village at Kisama, 12 Kms from here. The venue has been spruced up to host the mega event organised by the Nagaland Tourism Department and the Kisama villagers.

Traditional Morungs("Community houses") were already constructed and there are various stalls, which would provide varied Naga foods, household items, pet animals, local delicacies and specially prepared foods in traditional systems, along with local rice beer of various tribes.

This year, besides the expected turnout of hundreds of foreign and local tourists, dignatiries from outside the state would include Asom Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga and Meghalaya Home Minister R G Lyndoh.

Meanwhile, the security has been beefed up in this capital town following the arrival of foreign tourists and the VIPs from outside the state. The tourists were still pouring in and hotels and tourists lodges were full. Local families have also provided accommodation to some foreign tourists, sources said.

UNI AS JYN RN1653