DIMAPUR — Mopungchuket Community Tourism Society (MCTS) has decided to organise the first ‘Ongjinaro Festival’ on December 14 and 15 at Süngkotenem Park in Mopungchuket village, located approximately 20 km from Mokokchung town.
While the festival aims to promote Mopungchuket tourism, it is also organised to promote the native 'Ongjinaro' (Sarcandra glabra) plant and channelise it as a viable cash crop.
An update from the organising committee mentioned that ‘Ongjinaro’ is endemic to the village and has been used as a Christmas decoration item for many decades, so much so that people have adopted calling it 'local holly.' It added that Mopungchuket villagers have been marketing the plant every Christmas season not only in Mokokchung but also in Kohima, Dimapur and elsewhere.
MCTS has envisioned collaborating with government agencies or interested entities to study and propagate ‘Ongjinaro’ as a commercial crop. It is a shade-loving ornamental plant that requires minimal input for mass propagation and thrives in backwoods homesteads. Additionally, MCTS invited biologists and biotech experts to study the plant for its prospective medicinal values.
As part of the two-day festival, visitors can experience the sight of ‘Ongjinaro’ in its natural habitat in groves. Other attractions of the festival would include food stalls serving authentic Ao Naga cuisine as well as fast food, sticky rice food items, dried and dehydrated local food products, fresh and dried flowers, ethnic handloom and jewelry, handicraft, music, and beverages. Besides, there would also be a dedicated kids' play zone and an opportunity to experience traditional Ao Naga house.
It added that there would also be a live music and DJ session on December 15 from 5 pm onwards.
It further informed that the president of the Mokokchung Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), Tsukti Longkumer, would be the special guest of the ‘Ongjinaro Festival’ inaugural programme on December 14 at 10:30 am.
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