‘Burudu’ performing at the opening night of the Ziro Festival of Music (ZFM) 2017 at Ziro Valley in Arunachal Pradesh. The four-day festival of music, art, culture and happiness’ started on September 28. (Photo by special arrangement).
Morung Express News
Dimapur | September 28
Touted as India's Greatest Outdoor Music Festival, the sixth edition Ziro Music Festival (ZFM) kicked off today at Ziro valley in Arunachal Pradesh.
Once described by a Tourism Minister of Arunachal Pradesh as “the Woodstock of the East,” the four-day festival of ‘music, art, culture and happiness’ will conclude on October 1.
Launched in 2012 by Anup Kutty, guitarist of the rock band Menwhopause and Bobby Hano, a local, ZFM has got a cult following since then with attendee increasing each year after an initial crowd of around 500. It attracts music lover and outdoor enthusiasts from all over India as well as abroad.
Around 6000 people are expected to attend the festival this year. According to the organiser, the festival has 40 national and international acts line-up in this year edition, including three from Nagaland - Alobo Naga & the Band (ANTB), Akummika and Abiogenesis.
Ziro, located 167 km from Arunachal capital Itanagar, is a beautiful plateau and the headquarters of Lower Subansiri District. It is one of the oldest towns in Arunachal Pradesh.
With imposing landscape of beautiful lush green forest, rivulets and elevated patches, the area is renowned for the terrace paddy fields where the unique system of poly-culture and water management is practiced by the local people, according to Arunachal Pradesh tourism website.
The area is mainly inhabited by the Apatani tribe of Arunachal Pradesh.
