Famous State of Nagaland in india

  By Dhananjai | September 4, 2012 | INDIAN CULTURE

History Of whatever is known of Nagaland’s undocumented history, the state was initially under the Cacharis of Assam who had established a Hindu state in Dimapur. The Naga soldiers were a tremendous boon for the Cacharis. Since time immemorial, the Nagas have made great soldiers who have fought with an independence and valour peculiar to themselves. The Cachari rulers with the help of the Nagas would occasionally raid Assam and Myanmar. The British colonialists, between 1832 and 1879, tried to control the Nagas in prolonged battles. Peace came only in 1889. Kohima was under siege in1943 during World War II when the Japanese attacked. In the Battle for Kohima, 10,000 Allied soldiers lost their lives. After India’s independence in 1947, Nagaland began its movement for autonomy. Unrest in the state carried on till November 1975 when the Naga leaders belonging especially to the Angami, Zapu and Phizo tribes and the Government of India reached an agreement. However sporadic bursts of violence keep occurring even today. This fiercely independent state holds on to its traditions, values and culture despite attempts at modernization.

Economy The economy of Nagaland is based on agriculture with a good percentage of Naga people involved in farming and raising livestock. They grow rice, potatoes, sugarcane and tobacco. Fisheries, piggeries and poultry are some of the popular livestock sectors that do well in Nagaland. There are huge deposits of minerals in Nagaland and coal, natural gas, marble and nickel are the mainstays. Since bamboo is found abundantly in the state, industries like paper mills and plywood factories flourish. The crafts sector produces bamboo products and weaving and spinning are also activities that popular with the women in the state and the Naga shawls that they produce are well known and liked by all. Tourism is fast catching up in the state and contribute significantly to the economy of Nagaland.

Language The Nagas are of Tibeto-Burmese origin and are basically tribal people with a rich tradition of self-governance at the village level. They have high cheekbones, almond shaped eyes, sparkling teeth and a bronze skin, which is quite a combination. The population of Nagaland is made up of sixteen tribal groups with their distinctive cultures. Each tribe wears their clan motifs in colorful traditional dresses, has its own dialect, customary practices and traditions. The Nagas have invented Nagamese, a pidgin language combining local dialects and Assamese. Nagas are known as fierce fighters. The Naga regiment in the Indian army is fearless and dreaded by all. In fact, two generations ago they were headhunters. They believed that the human soul lived in the nape of the neck and beheading would set it free! The trophies (heads) were hoarded in the men’s community house called `Morung’. In spite of the Christian influence in present day Nagaland, the rate of divorce is high. Traditionally, there was a lot of free mixing of the sexes and first marriages seldom led to a permanent union. The principal languages of Nagaland are English, Hindi and tribal dialects such as Ao, Angami, Rengma, Chakhesang, Sangtam, Phom, Chang, Yinchunga, Khiamungan, Zeliang, Kuki, Pochury,Konyak, Wanchu, Sema and Lotha. The tribes have their own languages and communicate with each other in a peculiar mixture of Naga and Assamese called “Nagamese”.

Religion 90% of the Nagas are Christians because the British, during their tenure in the late half of the nineteenth century, encouraged Christian missionaries to preach in the tribal tracts of northeast India. This was largely due to peculiar tribal customs that the British thought were not civilized.

Food Eaten on banana leaves while sitting on the floor, the cuisine is mostly rice and meat. Food is bland with boiled vegetables, chicken, frogs when they are in season, and ginger stew making up the main fare. The local liquor is made of rice beer called `Zutho’. It is served with mashed roasted millet, soya bean and red chili. Go slow on the red chili for it is sure to give you an upset tummy.

Culture and Crafts The Naga tribes still perform the war dances that are resplendent with colourful and traditional headdress, costumes, war paint and weapons like spears. These dances celebrate nature’s bounties and success at war. The culture of Nagaland is as varied as the 16 tribes that inhabit it. With modernization and the advent of Christianity, many of their customs have been done away with, especially headhunting. Unmarried young men all lived together in the community house called “morung”. Today, this practice is discouraged and men are encouraged to live with their parents. Some tribes would decorate their faces with tattoos of swirling horns to denote their success in headhunting. Weaving is a traditional craft passed down the generations. Almost every rural home has a loom. The Naga shawls have their own clan motifs and are brightly coloured. With a little familiarity, it is easy to spot the tribe the man or woman belongs to from the colours and designs of the shawls. The tribal men make decorative spears and bamboo shields.

Tourist info centres

Deputy Resident Commissioner, Nagaland House, New Delhi, Tel: 011-23012296 / 23793673
Deputy Resident Commissioner, Nagaland House, Kolkata, Tel : 033-22823247 / 22821967
Assistant Resident Commissioner In Guwahati and Shillong, Tel : 0361-2332158 / 2333859 [Guwahati], 0252083 / 2520670 [Shillong]

How to get there by Air The airport is in Dimapur, 74 kms away from Kohima, the capital city of Nagaland. There are flights from Guwahati (Assam) and Kolkata (West Bengal) to Dimapur. Tourist buses, taxis and local buses will take you to Kohima from Dimapur airport and the journey time is about 3 hours.

How to get there by Rail The nearest railhead is Dimapur, 74 km from Kohima. There are trains that connect Guwahati to Dimapur. Guwahati, in turn, is very well connected to the rest of India. Tourist buses, taxis and local buses will take you to Kohima, the capital, from Dimapur and it takes about 3 hours.

How to get there by Road Kohima is connected to Imphal in Manipur (123 km) and Guwahati in Assam (400 km) by road. However, driving up to Kohima from Guwahati can be very tiring due to the distance and the state of the roads, and dangerous because of the insurgency problems in the state. Facilities are not so readily available, should your car or bus break down. Flying in to Dimapur is the best option.

Getting around Unmetered taxis with negotiable rates will get you around Nagaland. Mini coaches owned by private operators also ply between oft-visited towns and cities.

Where to Stay in Nagaland

The places to stay in Nagaland are limited. The capital, Kohima, has few accommodation choices ranging from mid-rung to budget, but on the whole, accommodation is tolerably comfortable and the hygiene levels are fairly high. Dimapur has good accommodation options in the same range as Kohima.

Best Time to Visit Nagaland

The best time to visit Nagaland is between October and May when it doesn’t rain. Nagaland gets torrential rain between June and September when communications can be severely disrupted.

Climate Nagaland is one of the 13 `Hot Spots’ of the world that have both sub-tropical and sub-alpine climate. The state’s average rainfall is between 180 cm and 250 cm. In summer the maximum temperature is 31° Celsius and the minimum temperature is 16° Celsius. The maximum temperature in winter is 24° Celsius and minimum temperature falls to 4° Celsius.

Things to do in Nagaland

Nagaland being well-known for its natural beauty provides a tourist with many interesting things to do. Take a trip to Kohima and visit the Commonwealth War Cemetery for its well maintained garden and memorial, Khonoma Village, Japfu Peak, Dzukou Valley, and Phek for picturesque landscapes. Come down to the city of Dimapur for its appealing stone megaliths. Visit the Intaki Wildlife Sanctuary which is a dwelling place for some of the rare wild animals.
Go shopping for vibrant Naga shawls, handicrafts, and many other artefacts that make attractive souvenirs. Nagaland has some interesting outdoor activities to offer like, angling, camping, and trekking. The Dzukou Valley, along with the rivers flowing in the state, is an ideal site for these activities. Sekrenyie, Tuluni, Tsungrem Mong, and Tokhu Emong are major festivals celebrated by the Angami Nagas, Sema Nagas, Ao Nagas, and Lotha Nagas, respectively.