NESt. Fest: Northeast’s music, dance light up Delhi; Sankuraj Konwar pays tribute to Zubeen Garg

Delhi’s Talkatora Stadium came alive with colours, sounds, and flavours of the Northeast on Saturday as the NESt. Fest 2025, an annual cultural festival, drew crowds from across the city.

The highlight of the final evening of the two-day festival was a performance by Assamese singer Sankuraj Konwar, who dedicated his set to late musician Zubeen Garg, calling it a tribute to the artiste who had inspired a generation of musicians in the Northeast. Garg passed away recently due to drowning while swimming off St. John’s Island in Singapore.

Outside the packed stadium, students and visitors sampled cuisines from the region — Manipuri, Naga and Assamese, among others — while inside, the crowd sang along to Konwar’s hits.

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The event, which derives its name from North East Students or NESt. featured a variety of folk dance performances from across the northeastern states, alongside Punjabi Bhangra and Maharashtrian Lavani.

“It’s my second time at the event, and the experience has been great each year. It’s a culmination of good food, great people and amazing cultural representation from all parts of the Northeast,” said Joy, a student of Sri Aurobindo College under the Delhi University.

A participant of a fashion show at the event said, “I’ve been walking the ramp for this event for the last two years and wanted to do it again this time, especially because one of my favourite artistes from Assam was performing.”

“It’s not just about the culture of the Northeast; performers from Maharashtra and Punjab were here too, which makes it feel like all corners of India unite to understand each other better,” she added.

Mizo band Lilac and Jack, performing for the first time outside their state, said the festival gave them a valuable platform.

“Last year also some Mizo artistes also performed here. This festival gives us a big enough platform to reach audiences beyond our state,” a band member said.

Organised by My Home India, NESt. Fest celebrates the diversity of the Northeast and aims to bridge communities through dialogue and culture.

“This ‘My Home’ concept is rooted in the idea of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — the world is one family,” said the organisation’s founder Sunil Deodhar.

“We started with the thought that our country is our home. Now, countries in Africa like Nigeria and Mali are showing interest in starting ‘My Home’ chapters in their nations. In the coming years, we hope this festival becomes a truly global celebration of unity,” he said.

Deodhar said My Home India was founded with the vision of connecting the Northeast with the rest of India and works to promote national integration through cultural exchange and outreach initiatives that highlight the talent and traditions of the region.

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As the evening drew to a close, music and laughter echoed across the venue — a reminder, perhaps, that “home is not just a place, but a feeling shared across borders”.