Yemshe Festival

• History
• Places to visit
• How to reach

Yemshe is a harvest festival that is celebrated in the capital city of Nagaland, Kohima. The festival is primarily celebrated by the Pochuri tribe as a harvest festival. The celebrations begin well in advance for the fiesta and people hope and pray for a good harvest year after the celebration.

One of the heartiest fairs and festivals of Nagaland, Yemshe festival keeps people waiting for the whole year in order to celebrate the festival to the fullest. 

History of Yemshe Festival in India 

Yemshe is celebrated by the Pochuri tribe which was formed after the integration of three native tribes - Khuri, Kupo, and Kuchu. The Pochuri tribe has always been involved in farming, fishing, and animal husbandry.   

The festival begins in the last week of September and is celebrated till the first week of October. Families begin harvesting together after the festival is over.

It is divided into two parts - one is the Big Yemshe and the other is the small Yemshe. During the first one, families come together and engage with each other, while in the latter one they perform individual ceremonies, rituals, purification of their house and pray for a good harvest.   

Traditional folk dances, rituals, and customs are performed by the people of the Pochuri Naga tribe as a mark of good omen.

As per another tradition, the family of the head of a village hosts a gathering wherein they distribute paddy rice and prepare Bamboo mugs for the guests. Guests come with frogs and chicken that is prepared in the evening where everyone sits together and eats.

A portion of the prepared food is also offered to the departed souls for their blessings.  

Major Attractions of Yemshe Festival Nagaland

1. Celebrations, Rituals, and Folk Dance. People of the village clean streets, wells, and fields to decorate it like a newlywed bride. The elders of the family perform the rituals and the youngsters just enjoy every bit of it. A popular bamboo dance is also performed to attract positive vibes and make the ambiance fun and positive. 

2. Traditional Dress of Nagaland. People of the Pochuri tribe wear their traditional dress to celebrate the Yemshe festival in Kohima. Kaksi Nei (a dress for unmarried boys), Yimchungar (Shawl), and kilt (dress) are the traditional dresses that are worn by the locals. 

3. Delicacies of Nagaland. Young engaged couples exchange gifts and eat delicacies with wine. The entire ambiance is filled up with joy and merriness and thus attending this celebration is a forever memory to cherish. Some popular dishes that are prepared during the festival are fermented bamboo shoots, fermented dry fish, Zutho (rice beer), dried pork, and smoked port stew.  

How to Reach 

An immaculate beauty, Kohima is surrounded by hills and exotic views. Tribal culture and terrific beauty make this place a popular tourist destination in North East among local and foreign tourists.

The city is well connected by all means of transportation such as roadways, airways, and railways. The city is approx. 2,200, 3,100, 1,300, and 3,200 away from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bengaluru respectively. Check out the best means to reach there.  

By Road. Traveling by roadways is a fun and exciting way to travel to any destination as it lets you explore the nearby surroundings and enjoy serene views. Tourists may travel through the inter-state tourist buses to Nagaland or may take their own vehicle to reach here. The ones arriving from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bengaluru are required to take NH 27, NH 52 and 27, NH 27, and NH 44 respectively to reach Kohima.   

By Rail. The Yemshe festival is celebrated with an amazing spirit of festivity and happiness in the entire state of Nagaland. One gets to witness and enjoy the festival by reaching the Kohima city. The nearest railway station to Kohima is Dimapur which is 75km from the city.

The station is well connected to the major cities of India hence arriving in the city via rail route will be convenient and cheaper. Nagaland Express, Avadh Assam Express, and Jan Shatabdi Express are a few popular trains on which seats can be booked to travel to Nagaland.  

By Air. Dimapur airport is the nearest airport. The airport receives direct and connecting flights from all parts of the country hence getting flights to Dimapur will not be a problem. From the airport, visitors have to cover a distance of approx. 70km by locally available transport such as a taxi or a bus to reach the main city. 

You can plan your trip and create your own route to the city with Adotrip’s technically driven circuit planner. Click here

PLEASE NOTE : Dates can vary due to cancellation or last-minute changes.