Kohima, Nov 8 (PTI) The Nagaland government has decided to celebrate the popular Hornbill festival virtually this year, amid the surge in COVID-19 cases in the country.

In a statement issued on Saturday night, the department of tourism said the annual festival would be observed over audio visual media channels and social media platforms this time, and people can enjoy the tribal dance performances sitting at home.

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The content for the online programme will be sourced from government archives, it said.

Hornbill Festival, held every year from December 1 to 10, showcases the culture, heritage, food and customs of Naga tribes at Kisama village. Sixteen tribes come together to celebrate their traditions with colourful dance performances.

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Tourists from across the globe attend the 10-day gala.

Nagaland has reported 9,455 COVID-19 cases so far, of which 48 have died.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)