In 2017, the Ministry of Development of the North Eastern Region (DoNER) organized a festival to celebrate northeast India’s cultural diversity, rich art and craft, delectable delicacies, music, and the business opportunities this region offers. This two-day-long festival took place on September 9th and 10th at India Gate in Delhi and saw a huge footfall.
I attended this festival with my mom. We both admire the culture and heritage of northeast India and were fortunate to visit a few of the best regions of northeast India, Cherrapunji, Guwahati, Shillong, and Gangtok.
Highlights of the North East Calling Festival
The event had several stalls showcasing the work of northeastern artists and entrepreneurs, from fashion to handicrafts to tourism and food stations, giving us a glimpse of the diverse northeastern cuisine.
We started our journey from the handloom and handicraft section, exploring beautiful handcrafted products like Mekhla Chadar, a traditional Assamese Saree, Manipuri phanek, and black stone pottery. We already have a few Mekhla Chadars at home. Therefore, we bought black stone mugs to add to my mug collection.
Next, we explored the food stalls adjacent to the handloom section. Northeast India is known for its diverse food. Moreover, their neighboring country and states have a significant influence. For example, Assamese food has a touch of Bengal, whereas Arunachali food takes inspiration from Tibetan and Chinese cuisine. Thukpa and momos are the two most popular northeastern dishes widely loved and consumed across India. However, there’s much more to explore, and thanks to events like these, it becomes easier.
We started with the basics like Thukpa (Tibetian Noodle soup) and Momos. Followed by authentic northeastern dishes like the Smoked pork from Nagaland, Shaptak, and Shabalay with Tingmo bread.
The best way to explore a culture is through its food and music. Therefore, attending their concert was a must. The concert began with a brain-rattling Trivia followed by the performance of several awesome northeastern rock bands and folk artists. The show ended with an extraordinary performance by the famous Bollywood singer Zubeen Garg.
Our experience at North East Calling Festival
Overall we had a fun time exploring the diversity of the northeastern states. The aura was different, with fluttering Tibetan flags, the fragrance of herbs and spices floating in the air, and soothing mountain songs playing in the backdrop. It felt like we teleported straight to the mountains. Here are a few pictures to give you a glimpse of the event.
