Nagaland Tourism Guide

[Lonely Planet]

NAGALAND is India’s Land of Festivals, the Switzerland of the East, the land of the mighty Naga warrior tribes. Unparalleled in its natural heritage, steeped in ancient legends of tribal royals and warriors, of chivalry, courage and integrity, this tiny tribal state is one of the most beautiful, eclectic and fascinating hill-states in India’s remote North East India Region (NER).

The state and her people, the Nagas, were relatively unknown to the world before the advent of Globalization. Equally, the Internet – introduced in the state only from the beginning of this century – proved a phenomenal paradigm shift for the primarily agricultural Nagas. Today, fascination with the Nagas’ way of life and their culture are an increasing interest particularly for western visitors.

Festivals, Festivals and more Festivals

Popularly known as the ‘Land of Festivals’, Nagaland tourism is an agricultural society comprising about 16 major tribes and several other sub-tribes. The most fascinating aspect of the Nagas – the people of Nagaland – is their cultural diversity: each of the Naga tribes has its own, distinct dialect, festivals, traditions and customs. In fact, the multiplicity and wealth of the Nagas’ cultural heritage is so eclectic that for instance, there are almost 50 festivals in a year alone.

Music and dance are indispensable to the Nagas’ cultural life. One can witness the full glory of their aesthetics during the various festivals where war dance forms of the warriors or the four-harmony songs of Naga women are performed with fervor. From January all the way to December, one can experience the festival of a tribe or another, being celebrated somewhere in the state any time of the year. India travel packages all these festivals culminate in the annual Hornbill Festival of Nagaland, the biggest festival of the Naga people in which all the Naga tribes, even those from neighboring Burma, join. This unique cultural feature has earned Nagaland the sobriquet ‘Land of Festivals.’

The Land of the Head-Hunters:

Before the arrival of American missionaries in the 1880s, the Nagas were fierce headhunters – a warriors’ race that coveted heads of enemies. Ancient Naga warriors chopped off heads of rival warriors and kept the grisly trophies in their homes and villages as testimonies of valor and bravery. Modern Nagaland is a Christian state of india tourism.

Nagaland is a vibrant hill state in the Northeastern fringes of India, bounding Myanmar (Burma) in the East; Assam in the West; Arunachal Pradesh and a part of Assam in the North with Manipur in the south. The state is located between 25°6' and 27°4' latitude, North of Equator and between the longitudinal lines 93°20'E and 95°15'E. 2.

The official language of this predominantly Christian state is English. Owing to the assortment of tribes each of who have a distinct dialect, it is normal for a Naga man to speak even his dialect differently from a fellow tribesman from a different region. Some of the Naga tribes are the Angami Naga, Ao Naga, Lotha Naga, Sumi Naga, Chakhesang Naga, Chang Naga, Khiamniungan Naga, Konyak Naga, Phom Naga, Pochury Naga, Rengma Naga, Sangtam Naga, Yimchungru Naga and the Zeliang Nagas. online hotel booking

The capital of Nagaland is Kohima, a historic town where allied troops thwarted a Japanese invasion in the Battle of Kohima during World War II. In the heart of Kohima town is one of Nagaland’s most famous heritage sites, the Kohima WWII cemetery, on Garrison Hill. Overlooking the town, the site is the final resting place for hundreds of fallen allied troops who took a last stand against invading imperial Japanese forces in the summer of 1944. Under a silent, giant cross, an epitaph on the memorial reads the message of the fallen soldiers:

‘When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us

And Say,

‘For Their Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today’"

India’s own ‘Switzerland’

Endowed with some of nature’s best – lush forest covers, exotic flora and fauna and picturesque mountain terrains, Nagaland has another sobriquet – ‘Switzerland of the East.’ The state boasts of some of the most exciting mountain ranges in the world – Mt. Saramati and Mt. Japfu. For the adventurous and the intrepid, these terrains offer wonderful trekking, rock-climbing and camping temptations. Then there is the famed Dzukou Valley, one of the most beautiful valleys in India destinations. One has to visit the Dzukou Valley to appreciate its beauty truly.

In addition, the treasures of rare orchids, medicinal plants and exotic wildlife make Nagaland an ideal place for nature lovers and yes, the insatiable naturalist. The rare Grey Peacock, Blythe’s Tragopan and the Hoolock Gibbon, the Tiger, Panther species, small felines, the Himalayan Bear, Bison, the Barking Deer, wild boars and the Slender Loris; the Great Indian Hornbill, Jungle Fowls and Green Pigeons are a few of the state’s celebrated wildlife tour.

Music:

There is a modern saying among Nagas: “If you can’t play the guitar or at least recognize the chords G, D and C, you are not a Naga.” Even before the British and American missionaries came, the primitive Nagas already had their own system of music – the four-part harmony.

It is popularly understood that when the western missionaries introduced formal music teaching, the Naga warrior tribes already knew Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass voice, though not by the English terms.

To put it simply without having to trouble the word count index of this article, Nagas have music in their veins – every social gathering has to have musicians. Even Nagaland government leaders – including the chief minister himself and his Cabinet colleagues regularly play the guitar and sing even in important, solemn government functions in Nagaland! Almost every household has an acoustic guitar. Naga musicians, especially rock bands, are today some of India tours best.

Arts & Crafts

The Nagas are famous for their handicrafts and textiles. They are known for their exquisite creations in wood, cane and bamboo and cotton and silk. It is a common, almost mundane sight to see finely woven storage baskets, wicker drinking vessels and containers or shawls, wraparounds and even bags. Some of the important craft trades are basketry, weaving, woodcarving and pottery, smithy and ornaments of book my trip.

Best time to visit Nagaland: October to May Must-visit places: Kisama Heritage Village, The Dzukou Valley, Mt. Saramati, Mt. Japfu, WWII Cemetery, Garrison Hill Must-attend events: Any Naga tribe’s festival The Hornbill Festival (1st week of December)