Headhunters Of Nagaland : Visit Aoling Festival this April

Unveil the secrets of an unexplored land….

Aoling Festival, marks the beginning of the spring season along with the Konyak New Year and is celebrated by the fascinating Konyak tribe (largest of the 17 tribes residing in Nagaland).

Wao fact: Deadly headhunters at one point of time, this tribe now lives peacefully, practicing agriculture.

Where is this festival held? This unique festival which lasts for full six days is celebrated in Mon, tucked deep into the forested mountains of Nagaland (east).

Did you know? Several animals such as chickens are sacrificed for the festival.

Details about the festival:

Day 1: First day of the festival is known as Hoi Lah Nyih, where the tribe starts preparing for the celebration.  

Day 2 and day 3: These 2 days are called as Yin Mok Pho Nyih and Mok Shek Nyih, where people look out for domestic animals to be sacrificed.

Day 4: Lingnyu Nyih is the most important day of the festival where the entire day is dedicated to a joyful time with feasting and adorning colourful clothes.


Day 5: This day, known as Lingha Nyih, is devoted to respecting each other.

Day 6: Lingshan Nyih, the last day of this festival is dedicated to cleaning the houses and village.

Note: The festival is going to end on 10th April, 2019

How to reach:

Nearest airport: Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, Guwahati and Dimapur Airport are the closest airport to Mon. From there, you can either hire a cab or take a bus to Mon.

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Nearest railway station:
The closest railway station to Mon is Guwahati railway station and Dimapur railway station.

So, are you planning to experience this magnificent festival? Let us know. Till we meet again, happy travels!

Image credit: North East Festival (Facebook page)