In the heart of the lush Arunachal Pradesh landscape, nestled amidst the breathtaking Himalayan foothills, a decade-long musical journey has unfurled its vibrant tapestry, the Ziro Festival. Over the past ten years, this annual extravaganza has transcended its humble beginnings to emerge as the Northeast’s most anticipated and iconic celebration. From its inception in 2012 to the present day, Ziro has not only showcased a mesmerising fusion of world-class musical talent and an important platform for emerging artists but has also become a testament to the region’s rich cultural heritage.
As we celebrate a decade of the festival, let’s reflect on how this event has evolved into a symbol of artistic excellence and a cultural meeting point in the Northeast.
Arunachal Pradesh’s Chief Minister Pema Khandu shares, “Ziro Festival stands as a testament to the vibrant culture and artistic spirit of Arunachal Pradesh. It has not only placed our state on the global cultural map but has also fostered unity and celebration of diversity. I am proud to support this remarkable festival, which continues to inspire and connect people through music, art, sustainability and culture. It proves that music makes us one.”
For over a decade, Ziro has provided an equal platform for independent music artists to showcase their talent on an international stage. Ziro Festival’s outreach programme has helped empower and promote artists from the northeast region of India, connecting them with global music organisations and cultural agencies in the US, Southeast Asia, Israel, Europe and the UK. After Komorebi performed at Ziro Festival 2018, she was signed by Chicken Ranch Records, a label from USA. This was followed by Ziro Focus, a cultural collaboration between India’s Ziro Festival of Music and UK’s Focus Wales, which set the ground for the start of something which could easily be a first for Northeast India despite the pandemic. Manipur’s Mangka, an established folk singer and emerging producer Eadyth from Wales were brought together to produce new music over several online meetings. The song ReraRehei was realised as an NFT. Mangka then met Lithuanian producer Leon Somov at Ziro Festival for the first time last year and they went on to work together online and recently released a song on September 22, 2023. The song is called Yakairol (The Beginning).
Cultural connections such as these promote cultural diversity and global understanding. The Cultural Attaché at the Embassy of Israel, Reuma Mantzur, notes “Music and cultural events like the Ziro Festival serve as vibrant bridges for strengthening cultural ties between Israel and India, fostering mutual understanding and appreciation through the universal language of music.”
The festival imbibes and prioritises sustainability practices by using locally-sourced materials like bamboo and employing local artisans and community members to build its infrastructure and host attendees. Every year, Ziro Festival’s focus on workshops and residencies are designed to prioritise knowledge and cultural exchange among participants and facilitators. Established artists, working hand-in-hand with local artisans, lead and train local youth on how to create art with locally-sourced waste materials. These deep engagement programmes not only help in building strong relationships, but also enhance understanding of other cultures.
This family-friendly festival has a range of creative programming aimed at children and all under-12 kids get free entry. Interactive zones, workshops and creative sessions like storytelling, dance & movement, indigenous instrument workshops are all designed to fuel the creative minds of the participants.
Another initiative in this direction is the Ziro Literary Festival which is in partnership with Arunachal Pradesh’s premier educational institute Saint Claret College. It aims to celebrate and emphasise the importance of reading, thinking, creating and sharing through discussions, readings, and workshops imparting skills to create one’s own work. This free and open-to-all festival promotes inter-cultural exchange, dialogue, knowledge-sharing and skill-building.
Festival App
Ziro Festival has its own app for mobile phone users. The app is available on both Android and iOS stores and is specifically focussed on attendees coming to visit Ziro Valley in Arunachal Pradesh. Ziro Festival App lists out all the artists performing at the festival, including detailed information about them, their performance times and gives users the option of creating their own schedules on their app. The app also offers guidance to attendees on all the different homestays, campsites and hotels in the vicinity as well as the activities on offer and basic facilities like locations of ATM and other useful services.
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The festival is presented by Signature Packaged Drinking Water. Other partners include – Riding Partner Royal Enfield, Sustainability Partner MakeMyTrip Foundation, Media Partner East Mojo. It is also supported by Arunachal Pradesh Tourism, Northeastern Council and District Administration of Lower Subansiri.
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