The Octave – Festival of North East was introduced by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India to provide a perfect platform to artists and artisans of the North East region to showcase their rich cultural heritage. The region includes eight states – Assam, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur and Sikkim – hence the name Octave.
The first Octave was held in New Delhi in March 2006, which was inaugurated by the Honorable Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh did it. Since then, the North East Zone Cultural Centre, Dimapur [NEZCC] has been organizing the Octave Festival every year in association with its counterpart Zonal Cultural Centres.
Thus Octave-2010 was organized in Hyderabad in its second year after its visit in New Delhi, Kerala in 2007, Goa, Mumbai and Patna in 2008 and Surat in 2009, Amritsar (Punjab) from February 13 to 17, 2010. Uttar Kshetra Cultural Centre, Patiala, where Octave-2011 was organized in Solan (Himachal Pradesh) from 22nd to 24th March, 2011; Octave-2013 was organized at Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) from March 25 to 27, 2013 and Octave-2014 was organized at Plaza, Sector 17, Chandigarh from March 21 to 23, 2014.