All you need to know about India's greenest outdoor musical gala, Ziro Music Festival 2023

Famed for its lush pine trees and rice fields, Ziro is a quaint town in Arunachal Pradesh where you can sit back and surrender to serenity. While they practice slow life on most days, once every year, the town transitions into a musical gala where indie artistes, international stars and instrumentalists reunite for their love of melodies.

The annual Ziro Music Festival sponsored by Signature Packaged Drinking Water is back and this time, with 47 indie acts, 13 of which will be helmed by global names with Puulup’s Ramo Teder and Marko Veisson on the Danyi (sun) Stage, Leah Singer and Lee Ranaldo on Pwlo (Moon) Stage and German DJ Barnet, who moved to India in 2012, on Takvr (star) Stage.

The lineup also includes emerging Indian artistes such as G Jackals, a crew of young rappers from Arunachal Pradesh, New Delhi-based Chaar Diwaari known for his experimental Hindi music, local band Many Roots Ensemble known for their afro, funk and jazz beats and Komorebi, an alternative music singer and composer. Also, expect performances by the all-time favourite Indian artistes Mohit Chauhan and Farhan Akhtar on the Pwlo Stage.

Also Read: Jodhpur RIFF dates announced, expect introduction to Rajasthan's rich folk music, dance and more

Apart from the exciting musical lineup, Ziro is also known for its sustainability initiatives. It is touted as one of India’s greenest music festivals with the infrastructure made using locally sourced eco-friendly materials bamboo and wood. Close to 40 days go into the making of the stages by Apatani artisans. The idea is to leave the pristine land cleaner than before.

Alongside reigning the sustainability flag, the four-day-long outdoor festival also promotes indigenous tribes and artistes from Northeast India by bringing them to the forefront. This year, you can look forward to exploring traditional arts and crafts with community learning workshops, soaking in the tribal culture by sampling local delicacies and participating in dance, meditation and movement sessions. The highlights include a Daminda - a unique traditional community Apatani dance performed by over 800 women from the tribe.

Also Read: Bindu Subramaniam is all set to introduce a new course at SaPa that will give toddlers the musical exposure they deserve!

INR 2500 onwards. Available online. From September 28 to October 01. Travel by air to Hollongi Airport, which is the closest airport to Ziro or take the train to Naharlagun Railway Station which is 90.4 km away from the city.