Nagaland Village’s King Chilli Festival
Indian Express

Context

On September 6, 2024, Seiyhama village in Nagaland celebrated the third edition of the Naga King Chilli Festival, showcasing one of the world’s hottest chillies.

Naga King Chilli (Raja Mircha / Bhoot Jolokia / Ghost Pepper)

• About:
  • The Naga King Chilli is renowned globally for its extreme heat, surpassing 1 million Scoville heat units (SHU) on the Scoville scale, making it one of the hottest chillies in the world.
• Significance:
  • Cultural and Economic Importance:
    • The chilli holds deep cultural and economic significance for the Naga people.
  • Geographical Indication (GI) Tag:
    • It was awarded the prestigious GI tag in 2008, recognizing its unique identity and origin.
  • Preservation of Food:
    • The chilli is traditionally used to help preserve food in Nagaland’s hot and humid climate, extending the shelf life of food and reducing waste.
• Harvest:
  • The peak harvest season for King Chilli is during August and September, with a final harvest occurring in November and December.