Every September, the Ziro Valley in Arunachal Pradesh transforms from quiet rice fields into a venue for a four-day festival, attracting thousands of people to the remote northeastern part of India for a unique musical experience.
The festival started in 2012 after musicians Bobby Hano and Anup Kutti, guitarist of the band Menwhopause, decided that this valley needed a stage for independent artists. The event is held with the support of the Apatani tribe, which is the indigenous inhabitant of Ziro.
Local artisans erected three stages—Dani, Pwlo, and Takwr—entirely out of bamboo collected nearby. These structures are set up directly on the rice fields without using cement, steel, or permanent constructions, allowing the valley to quickly return to agricultural use after the celebration ends.
The festival strictly prohibits the use of single-use plastic, organizes free water refill stations, and serves local rice beer called Apon in woven bamboo cups. Furthermore, all waste is sorted and disposed of in a way that leaves the venue completely untouched.
Despite the lack of direct highway or rail connections, Ziro annually hosts over 10,000 visitors, making this remote festival the largest non-pilgrimage tourist event in Arunachal Pradesh, surpassing attractions with easier road and rail access in visitor numbers.
Each session features more than 40 independent performers, Indian folk musicians, rock bands, and international artists who share the stage with emerging talents from the northeast, focusing on discovering new names rather than featuring big-name acts.
Visitors stay in tents within the festival grounds, waking up each morning among misty rice terraces and pine-covered hills. Evenings often conclude with spontaneous jam sessions around campfires between strangers who become close friends in a matter of days.
Since Arunachal Pradesh is a protected border area, Indian guests require an Inner Line Permit, and foreigners need a Protected Area Permit; both documents must be obtained online before traveling to the remote Ziro Valley.
Apatani families host travelers in guesthouses, prepare traditional dishes over open fires, and local artisans, trained through the festival's own programs, continue to independently design and build each bamboo stage year after year.
This September, the rice fields of Ziro will once again turn into a stage as musicians and travelers return for four days to enjoy independent music, bamboo, and the unique spirit of the valley.