Variety, novelty and festivities continue at Hornbill Festival

Dimapur, Dec. 7 (EMN): Various indigenous games and novelty
competitions marked the Hornbill Festival on Saturday a people took part in the Hornbill festivities. Besides our correspondents and event organisers, the government publicity agency the department of Information and Public Relations (IPR) gave on Saturday updates informing about the various events at the festival.

Stilt bamboo racing
A stilt bamboo race was conducted on the sixth day of the ongoing Hornbill Festival at Kisama in Kohima district during which members from various community groups participated. The event was organized by the department of Youth Resources & Sports. The winner of the stilt bamboo race Tohevi Sumi was awarded a cash prize of INR 7000, while the second place was won by
Chovoto Chakhesang, winning INR 5000. The third prize went to Mhabemo Lotha, who won INR 3000, the IPR stated.

Chilli eating
Our Correspondent
A chilli eating competition and another for pineapple eating was conducted on Saturday, on the 7th day of the Hornbill festival. Naga Chilli or “Raja Mircha,”
an indigenous crop of the state is believed to have originated from the Zeliangrong area and is extensively grown in Peren, Mon, Kohima, and Dimapur.

It was also the first crop to be given the tag and is one of the hottest known chillies in the world. It has an appealing, pungent aroma, which is consumed by most Naga households. The chilli eating competition made its debut in 2010, during the 11th edition of the Hornbill festival and since then, it has become a signature event at the festival. The pineapple eating competition made its debut in the Hornbill festival of 2017, and now many tourists participate in it every year. In the chilli eating competition, there were four locals and five tourists participating.
Winners
First prize: Moba Chang from
Tuensang, who ate seven chillies.
Second prize: Vepozo from Phek,
who ate five chillies.
Third prize: Thonjai from Mon,
he ate three chillies.
Fourth prize: Shekuve Khamo,
who ate three chillies.

From the tourist category, Nathan from Australia won the competition by eating four chillies. In the pineapple eating competition for tourists, in which ten people participated, Bharat Doongarwal from India won the competition.