mark it hi I'm Gary Megan obsessed with food always on the road and the road has led me back to my favorite destination India I love this country for its color [Applause] oh it's culture and mouthwatering Cuisine if only you could taste it wow and nothing brings it all together like India's festivals a share of flowers and because of the fervor and frenzy with which these are celebrated I'm calling them Mega festivals today I'm in nagaland a Land of ancient tribes and every year these tribes come together to celebrate one of India's most action-packed Mega festivals I'm going to lock horns in the ring sway to the rhythmic beats and even set my taste buds on fire in a celebration that brings nagaland's past and present together this is the hornbill [Applause] Festival [Applause] I love a bit of me time just me the bike the open road but I'm not wired to be on my own and it's as though the winding road is bringing me back to a tribe I can call my [Music] own bring the and the road will take me to casama Heritage Village to take part in nagaland's 10day mega festival called the Horn Bill Festival but first a pit stop I drive into the 12th annual Northeast Riders meet which is part of [Applause] hornbill qu and look at this I couldn't wish for anything better as a biker myself surrounded by loads of bikes tents the smell of grease and gasoline what a start and amidst thousands of tents which these bikers call home I find the man in charge of the mega event so Kevin this is a big event how many people come to this event we have around 1,850 plus okay so nearly 2,000 people near 2,000 people yes wow that's incredible so tomorrow the big ride to Kama we are going up to Kama yes I want to be part of that sounds fantastic us please I want to ride into the hornbill Festival in style with these guys but first I have to earn my stripes 1 [Music] [Applause] [Music] ohing that's fast and I think he's a little crazy too and I'm worried now because I put my name down I'm next up Simple Rules fastest bike wins presses on not sure I want to do it anymore all the rest so Gary thank you very much this will be the slowest time in the history of this event but my competitive Spirit wakes up just as I get onto the bike the time to beat 13 Pray For Me 3 2 1 I've raced on ashfeld but a dirt track is unpredictable I want to push myself to the limits but I don't want to topple over [Music] [Applause] it that why that was amazing come on give me the worst was it like 3 minutes and 20 seconds half of it a minute 25 seconds and 27 micros seconds I feel so good pretty good huh what a fabulous day at the Northeast Riders meet the 12th isn't it absolutely fabulous group shot what do we say hang on a minute 1 minute 25 127 127 was it okay it was fantastic there's Silence from the crowd right let me out let me [Applause] out and it feels like a preview of all that I'm about to experience in casama so out of all of this what's your favorite uh part of um Coming Down The View first and the second the food you will find so many varieties of food and I like the pieces of pork see in my book traveling for pork is a legitimate uh 300 400 even 1,000 km this feels amazing entertainment lots of stuff going on but you're coming to the Horn Bill as well yeah tomorrow early morning we'll be going as a group all together it's 5:00 p.m. it's dark already the band is about to play and the party is about to start yeah now we're talking crazy crazy bunch of bikers having a fabulous time you couldn't want for anything more could you these bikers look like they'll party late into theight but me I've decided to Cozy up in my little [Music] corner oh I'll tell you what I haven't slept in a little tent for years but everybody's up early so who would have thought that I had such a big night but the excitement is powerful everybody's starting their engines and getting on the road and there's nothing like a hot cup of chai to get the engine going [Music] [Music] all I can say is the toughest roads lead to the most amazing places and that twisting bending Road has led me here Ground Zero the Horn Bill Festival so I can't wait let's go and have a look well I'll tell you what it's all happening here and there must be some VIPs attending this because look at this procession it's unbelievable who's this for welc you who's this for welcoming you me welcoming you come for me what for is this for me who are you and who are you sir what's your name minister of Tourism you're the minister of Tourism joint secretary joint secretary hello how are you nice to meet you and why am I coming with you come come oh my [Music] goodness ladies and gentlemen this is such a privilege I've never done anything like that before in my life Australian personality a restorator and and author a famous Australian Chef sh Gary [Applause] [Music] m heo this spectacular how wonderful is this it feels like someone has turned back the clock and in a way that's exactly what's happening the hornbill Festival preserves and showcases the culture of the Naga tribes and their way of [Music] life [Applause] [Music] and their games but the organizers aren't content with having me as a mere spectator I'm called into the arena no really no oh my surely they don't expect me to compete in the game I'm an old man for goodness [Music] sake you sure I can't come and watch here it's better here I'm pleased it [Applause] fits this is the game of the kachari TRU D two men a stick a ring the goal to push your opponent out of the [Applause] ring the winner of this B I think think it's all the Naga pork that helped me win it was the weight but I think you let me win but my time in the arena is not over yet soon I'm called in to join in on a war Dance of the Sumi tribe the kachari and the sui are two of nagaland's 17 major tribes each tribe celebrates its own FES that are spread across the year but the hornbill Festival which was first organized in 2000 allows the tribes to come together that was terrible I tried really hard to match the steps but no way with no preparation and a bit of a surprise but what a privilege I can't believe the day I've had it's been absolutely wonderful and now I want to find out more about the Naga and a good job that I've got a friend here that can show me all about them that friend is TA kitsu who is part of the angami tribe you're a you're a scholar you're a poet you're a teacher is that right yeah I'm very passionate about Naga culture I was going to say a proud Naga you need to give me some clarity about all these tribes so should we have a look around sure apart from the central Arena which is meant for performances each tribe has its own designated area within the casama Heritage Village ta leads me to the angami key or a traditional angami home it looks magnificent it is isn't it and some of these houses in kisama actually belong to wealthy individuals but in Naga culture when we talk about wealthy individuals wealth is actually defined by your relationship to your community and what you give back can we go and look inside yes oh this is fantastic the first impression is the smell of smoke and obviously this half and some something cooking right this is always the center of you know a traditional Naga home uh there's no separation between the kitchen and the living space so here what you have these are actually you know sort of the preserving the seeds to sew for the next Harvest one of the things that we nagas do is we have something akin to bride price where you know when a woman is married the husband has to give something to her people so when he gave an animal or he gifted animals it had to be quite a significant size so uh with these pork slices if anybody comes in they will be able to tell you know the size of the pig so it's a show of whether it's wealth or the the prize right I'm amazed and hum L spending just a few minutes inside a Naga home has made me realize how connected they are to Nature I also realized that modern society revolves around the individual we spend our wealth mostly on ourselves but the nagers place emphasis on the group The Tribe outside the key in yet another display of local culture an impromptu wrestling match has broken out this is Naga wrestling so you you know we have uh many Naga tribes but we also have a group of tribes called the tenier and only the tenim among the nagas wrestle can you see both the men are put holding each other through the yeah so they've got this kind of waistband there which is where they're securing their grip and traditionally these would be Shaws and they would usually be the Shaws of their mothers isn't that beautiful yeah it is beautiful Gary why don't you try come on I'm too old to do that no no there is no age limit to wrestling that is the biggest load of I've ever heard there is no age limit to wrestling we put that up on a plaque somewhere and there's some old person going yes there is you can set a president okay I always I'm happy to give it a go as long as I don't get hurt badly I think they'll be very happy to teach you the yeah maybe they can teach me a move right exactly I just have two words for my opponent be gentle so like this yeah and you hold the belt and like this all the best Gary yeah yeah go one two go go very nice very nice I've got a bit of a weight Advantage but no [Music] skill hey thank you appreciate that champion I'm getting too old for this kind of thing you didn't do so to badly that's enough action for the day though had just relax I'll tell you so what have we got here you're drinking rice beer I'm drinking wild Apple tea okay so that's a local crop right it is that they make tea from cheers to your wild Apple tea and fermented rice beer very nice you know it's interesting you may not think that food preserves Our Heritage and culture but it does it's like art and music and it's essential in doing that when tomorrow I'm going to a place where it all starts [Music] fresh local indigenous just how I like my produce to be and I'm going to see a lot of it at the Mal vegetable market in Kima where I meet chef Joel basam matara Joel hello Chef you all right good to see how are you thank thanks for the invitation where are we we are in the ma Market which is the heart of KOA town the best Market get the visit come on then let's go and have a [Music] look it's like walking into a candy store isn't it for che for a chef it's candy store too much to look at here for example you've got the snails snails and then these this are carpent SW look at you just picking them up I love it you love it I love it too you can smell the wood on that yeah so is that what they taste like yes they take all the nutrients of the tree and put it into themselves so a bit of a delicacy like you wouldn't it is you're not eating this three times a week not every oh and these are grasshoppers dried grasshoppers can I touch them look at that so these are dried car Hoppers we cook it with chili and uh if we want to add some Sour ingredient we add add bamboo fermented bamboo or bamboo water so I recognize these I've seen these before so they're a silk worm is that right yes chef but but that's different that's the matured one and that's what I was thinking when we were looking at the carpenter worms and insects being future food you know so we're starting to see meley Worm for example you know they put it in smoothies it's got lots of protein you know we know we need to eat less meat Naga Naga are leading the world I'm sure like a lot of aszure eating insects wow and then this catches my eye this a hornet it's a very delicacy for the upper class okay so only the rich can afford it oh it's going it's going they're selling it oh they're selling it how much how much are you selling it for 177,000 17,000 oh 177,000 my goodness that's a significant purchase so is this for a special occasion we will be preparing for the Christmas dinner for the family members oh beautiful would you like to join me I I've got I've got a chef here so I got a busy schedule I think he might he might help me out in tasting but thank you so much and happy Christmas Happy [Music] Christmas when you live in a big city you like to think that you eat fresh food but when you live in nagaland you really are eating fresh local forid food but great food's not all about great produce you also need fire and I'm going to the casama Heritage Village to learn the ancient art of making [Music] [Applause] fire so this is the chuu sun tribe and uh they're showing us the ancient art of making fire I mean I made a lot of fires but you know I strike a match or I turn the knob on the stove it's nice and easy but it's good to remind ourselves you know this is where it all started this is where cooking started you know the discovery of fire let's take a closer look so I think what they're doing is they're using this bamboo and then taking this very fine kind of strip to make this bamboo um flexible so that they can create friction from it create friction but you need really light material look at that bit of smoke got some friction happening now smells good yes yes that's it bring the fish so he made it look easy so I think I should try and have a go see if I can make some fire so you got to press on it hard and then put your foot on there I'm not sure the big boots are helping but imagine me on a snow covered Mountain no one's eating until I build fire we're going to go hungry aren't we matches it's a miracle Modern Man means ancient wisdom that's the kind of fire I like thank [Music] you fire making wound me thankfully there's nothing like a bit of retail therapy to unwind and there's no better place to start than the bamboo Pavilion because it's full of traditional [Music] handicrafts at the bamboo Pavilion I see handicrafts that are a reminder of nagaland's past that's nice you know bit of [Music] shopping look at this that is a [Music] weapon so is naland well known for its silk or uh this is called irie silk this is the cocon which produce the yarn so out of this yarn oh so this come this is from the silk wor yes this is the silk cocon the products at this store are made from a H or nonviolent silk where the silk worms are left unharmed I think that would make a nice present for my wife Mandy next up how long do you reckon it would take me to to get in shape I think it would take about a year a year I hang out with a bunch of oil clad hunks at the hornbill [Applause] festival and jam with nagaland's pop star [Music] sisters [Music] wow over a homecooked meal [Music] the hornbill Mega Festival in nagaland is picking up Sting with people pouring into kasama Heritage Village from all over the country to soak up the best of Naga culture but there's a high octane action playing out elsewhere as young nagers step into more modern forms of competition no one is messing with me today because I'm surrounded by Warriors there's more muscle in this room than the whole of nagaland I'm at the fourth edition of Mr nagaland which is a bodybuilding contest take a look at these guys a lot of time like is running over with the dollar sign try take it from yeah quick question how long do you reckon it would take me to to get in shape I think it take about a year a year you know what Daniel I think it might take two depends on your my commitment yeah yeah that's you know you know what they say the older you get the better you were so when I was 20 years old I was fantastic oh I believe you takes a lot of preparation doesn't it yeah what's the purpose of the the tanning is it for the cuts for the cuts so you can get like shadows and you know you can see the muscle development what your bench press 100g 100 kg that's a lot of I used to be able to do it but now just got a sore shoulder are you going to win yes absolutely course he's going to inmense physique you know I'm starting to feel a little self-conscious like just feel emasculated ladies and gentlemen we're in for an incredible night oh we're taking it up a notch I can't believe what I'm seeing right now where Mike TZ com [Music] all right [Music] qu relax round number 21 22 29 42 and number 48 I think 21 his physique is really well balanced like he's got a nice balance between you know his shoulders his chest right abs really [Applause] really Place goes to turn number [Applause] 29 the second best I reckon 48 is second place 21's the winner 21 [Applause] oh [Applause] [Music] Chistmas 4 48 the winner there you go and I'll tell you what I reckon I picked it didn't I his physique [Music] unbelievable I step back into the main Arena where the Crowds Are swelling and swaying to endless performances a unique lineup of folk pop and rock [Music] [Applause] bands but one of the biggest musical acts in the state are the TSO sisters this group formed by Four Sisters in one sense embodies Naga society today the songs they sing are age old but their style is fresh and py and I've been lucky enough to be invited into their home for a night of food and music Tso's sister style hello hiy hi hi these are for you oh so nice thank you pleas is that right lovely to meet you thank you so much for the invitation but I have to I have to drag you this way because as I walked in look at that that's a beautiful view you can see the whole of kohima on some quiet evenings my H and I we come out and have a quiet moment here yeah come welcome I hope you're hungry I hope you're coming you don't know me I'm always hungry I'm so excited to be here hello how are you what's your name Mercy Mercy lovely to meet you KU see I had to just for a second Lulu nice to meet oh we're cooking exotic today [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] oh we forgot to put Gary's name in it wow that was beautiful can you tell me what that was about cuz if you forgot to put my name in it what was that about get this guy out of here is that what it was so this song Here is a work song song um that encourages the people who are working to give their best so uh in the middle of the song you'll hear the people calling out each other's names like you know we're calling a is this the best that you got you know show us what you got so we should have put your name in it well let me tell you this is all I've got all right so even if if if you didn't put my name in it that's all I've got you know and I get the sense already that in nagaland and particularly Kima there's this lovely you know Fusion if you like of tradition but modern as well true true so these are going to go into the water and what aromatics are you going to put with the Lai bamboo Sho water and this is just chili powder M and green chili okay yeah and ginger and ginger that's it so pretty simple [Music] yes [Music] I love that that was absolutely beautiful I on the other hand cannot sing a note only the Deep stuff oh Gary I'm absolutely confident that you can sing Oh with us yeah all right so you go o o oh yes [Music] okay wow that was fantastic as long as I stay in that zone see if my music teacher had given me that all of us boys just that zone we would have still maybe loved to sing I know damn damn for dinner there's Hornet and silkworm ly Redwood worm snails cooked in pork lud smoked pork with bamboo chot chicken cooked in Chakan style and smoked pork shoulder cooked in its own juice there's also a green [Music] salad look at that Naga feast amen here we go the lava well first of all it's a really interesting texture and creamy too isn't it mhm that's really beautiful that's the first for Gary wow that was beautiful thank you so much but you know in Australia that you've always got to have like a little sweet finish to every meal and here in nagaland you don't have desserts really do you no but I have been looking at this and you know technically a chili is a fruit so with that count as dessert do you think right now I know that this this Naga chili is going to be really hot isn't [Music] it how much do I how much do I try just a little bit just a little bit just a little bit a little scared let's not kill Gary man but now it's starting to build yeah oh yeah okay now it's down now it's down the tip of my tongue so don't take another bite yet yeah just wait yeah have you eaten another bit this one's hot for sure now that hit me straight away oh my goodness that's good there's a sweetness to it yeah there's a sweetness to it honey but the sweetness is gone and just a final explanation for anybody that really doesn't understand how hot that chili is my mouth my tongue specifically is on fire and I'm just salivating like crazy okay there you go my heart and my tummy are full I was invited into Abby and ai's home with warmth and I think I really felt part of their family and more importantly their tribe how wonderful and I think that's what this Mega Festival is all about next up I play the Naga [Music] drum meet more tribes up close and gear up for the ultimate unity [Applause] [Music] dance [Music] I'm at casama Heritage Village Ground Zero for nagaland's 10day Mega Festival hornbill and today is the last day I'm here I've had the most amazing experiences I can't wait to see where it all culminates this Festival helps preserve Naga traditions but it's also a way for the nagas to share their culture with thousands of visitors who have arrived from all over India and the world hang on a minute I haven't seen anybody at especially in the arena with a with a with a suitcase what the and hang on a minute what have you got in this thing what are you doing just clothes where have you where have you come from come from Asam but she is from Korea you're from Korea okay what are you looking forward to I don't know I personally am looking forward to the foods and of course uh have never experienced another culture as such so hope to see that I love this my goodness this what tribe are you from I am from poer tribe okay poer yeah P beautiful so what were you what were you trying to learn there so is this everybody gets together at the end and and does a unifying dance yeah that was a Unity dance we we call it we call it a Unity dance yeah beautiful have you got a war cry you can give us sure sure come on we have this okay [Music] ready SOI tells me for 10 days cultural troops from Individual tribes perform in the central Arena but the unity dance brings all the tribes together in a singing and dance performance so when's the unity dance when does this all come to a you know an ending this Festival will end on 10th of December on the 10th a lot of rehearsal you're on show all the time so you're working hard you must practice this a lot yeah yeah we have to prak this there are thousands and thousands of people watching so we have to prak this we have to be perfect each tribe sends a troop to represent their culture through dance song rituals and games young men and women part of this group stream into kasama every day and come evening head back to their camps how many times do you perform your dance after we uh get to our camp yeah we we used to rehearse in the evening and when we wake up in the morning yeah we used to rehearse once again yeah before coming to the arena we used to rear again a lot of stamina yeah you must by the 10th day you must be exhausted no no no we are not guys we have the stamina we are nuggers yeah I'm getting to know that we are nuggers but before I leave s and his mates give me a nager war cry a little too close up oh my God that is terrifying that colorful attire the warrior likee Co what I see are two distinct faces of Naga Society a beautiful blend of ancient and the modern a perfect balance for my culture loving palette is seen in a way the naga's dress the food they eat and of course their [Music] music and the background music to my entire experience is the sound of the Naga drum beat and I follow that sound once [Music] again got it first beat is a warning call so if there's fire or danger yeah and the second one is for festivities for the ow tribe are we ready [Music] [Music] I love it that was great that was a warning call and now the celebration [Music] Beats [Music] [Music] oh thank you that was amazing the log drum in many ways symbolizes the tribal way of living it can't be played by the individual it takes a group a Brotherhood to get a rhythm going and the hornbill Festival ends with this Spirit of unity ever since I've arrived in nagaland it seems that the fire and the Naga people are inseparable it's in their merang and in their key they cook over the Open Fire they smoke their famous Naga pork over that very same fire and and now I've been asked to bring this Horn Bill Festival to a close by lighting the fire of all fires and you know what as it gets chil this beautiful Shaw perfectly wrapped around me let's go ladies and gentlemen we are proud to announce the arrival of theable CH Minister n The Chief guests which include the chief minister of nagaland all are hello how are you nice to see you in person I know nice to meet you what a fabulous Festival it's beenk and it's time to kick off the beginning of the [Music] end [Music] [Applause] come and light the ball fire the ball fire what a pleasure will be accompanied by the unity dance [Applause] look at that will fabulous Mega Festival the joy and the unity and the togetherness the celebration the culture Horn Bill Festival is like nothing I've ever seen in my life time for the unity dance and this time I know the steps kind of are you [Applause] ready I'm going to walk for a [Music] [Applause] bit the Horn Bill Festival is a magnetic force drawing all of the Naga tribes together and the tribes pulled me in as one of their own and have found a space where the past and the present Thrive together there is room here for the Roar of a bike engine and the Naga Warriors I'm leaving hornbill with saw muscles but Amazing Stories where I wrestled hit the road and experienced the naga's deep connection with their land and culture and it all ended with a celebration of unity that became a symbol of this Mega Festival after all aren't we all part of one big [Music] tribe