Imagine walking into a festival with Rs 1000 in your pocket. By the end of the day, you have spent it on local food, handmade crafts, traditional clothes, taxi fares, and maybe a few souvenirs. For a visitor, it is just a day of enjoyment. But for a food vendor, an artisan, a taxi driver, or a small business owner, that same Rs 1000 becomes part of their income. This is the side of festivals that we often do not notice.
When people think about the Hornbill Festival of Nagaland, the Sangai Festival of Manipur, the Shirui Lily Festival in Ukhrul, or any other festivals in the Northeast, they usually think of colourful performances, music, food, and cultural displays. However, behind every celebration lies a network of businesses and livelihoods. Festivals are not only about preserving traditions, but they are also about creating opportunities. In many ways, they function like temporary economies where culture, tourism, and business come together.
More than just a celebration
A festival is much more than a gathering of people. It creates demand for products and services within a short period of time. Visitors need transportation, accommodation, food, souvenirs, and experiences. This opens doors for many local businesses.
Thousands of visitors from different parts of India and abroad travel to Nagaland every year in December to attend the Hornbill Festival. Hotels and homestays receive more guests, local restaurants become busier, and transport services see an increase in demand. At the same time, artisans and entrepreneurs get the opportunity to display handwoven textiles, bamboo products, jewellery, handicrafts, and traditional food.
Similarly, the Sangai Festival has become an important platform for promoting Manipur’s culture and tourism. It showcases handloom products, indigenous games, local cuisine, art, and music. The festival not only attracts tourists but also creates opportunities for small businesses that may otherwise struggle to reach a larger market.
The Shirui Lily Festival presents another interesting example. Unlike many other festivals, it is closely connected with nature and the rare Shirui Lily found in Ukhrul. Visitors travel not only to enjoy cultural programmes but also to experience the beauty of the region. This creates opportunities for local guides, transport providers, homestays, restaurants, and vendors.
The small businesses behind the big festivals
When we attend a festival, we often notice the performers on stage. However, there are many people working quietly behind the scenes.
There are women selling handmade shawls, artisans displaying bamboo crafts, young entrepreneurs running food stalls, photographers capturing moments, and drivers transporting visitors. Many of these businesses are small, family-run enterprises that depend on such events for additional income.
For young entrepreneurs, festivals can also serve as a testing ground. Instead of opening an expensive shop, they can introduce products directly to customers, understand their preferences, and receive feedback. In this way, festivals encourage innovation and entrepreneurship.
In recent years, social media has further expanded these opportunities. A visitor who buys a handmade product at a festival may later share it online, helping the business reach people beyond the region. Thus, a festival not only creates sales during the event itself, but it can also help businesses build long-term connections with customers.
A question worth asking
As festivals become larger and more commercial, an important question arises: “When culture becomes part of a business, does it become less authentic?”
On one hand, commercialization can provide income and encourage the preservation of traditional skills. Crafts, textiles, and local food gain a wider audience, and communities benefit economically.
On the other hand, there is a risk that traditions may be changed only to satisfy market demand. Cultural practices that hold deep meaning for communities should not become mere products for sale.
The challenge, therefore, is to maintain a balance. Business should support culture rather than replace it. Festivals should create opportunities while respecting the traditions that make them unique.
Looking towards the future
The Northeast is rich in cultural diversity, natural beauty, and traditional knowledge. Festivals such as Hornbill, Sangai, and Shirui Lily have already shown that culture can become a source of economic opportunity.
However, the true success of these festivals should not be measured only by the number of visitors or the amount of money generated. It should also be measured by how much they benefit local communities.
Can artisans receive fair value for their work? Can young entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses? Can tourism create opportunities without harming local culture and nature? These are important questions for the future.
The next time we attend a festival, perhaps we should look beyond the music and celebrations. Behind every food stall, craft display, and taxi ride is a person trying to earn a livelihood. Behind every purchase is an opportunity to support local communities.
Festivals, therefore, are not only celebrations of identity and tradition. They are also spaces where culture creates opportunities, businesses find customers, and communities build a better future.
In Northeast India, the hidden economy of festivals reminds us that preserving culture and promoting development do not always have to be separate goals. Sometimes, they can grow together.
Degree of Thought is a weekly community column initiated by Tetso College in partnership with The Morung Express. Degree of Thought will delve into the social, cultural, political, and educational issues around us. The views expressed here do not reflect the opinion of the institution. Tetso College is a NAAC-accredited, UGC-recognised Commerce and Arts College. The editorial team includes Tenipumei Phom, Asst. Professor Dept. of English, Limajungla Walling, Asst. Professor Dept. of Linguistics, and Munkiri Taro, Multimedia Executive. For feedback or comments, please email: dot@tetsocollege.org
