Visit Kohima, Asia’s Second Largest Village

When in the magical land of Nagaland, I was blessed with a few memorable days in Kohima, the capital that was formed in the 18th-century, and is now the 2nd-largest city of the land! Back then, it was known as Kewhira and was later rechristened as Kohima when the British set their post in the Naga Hills in 1878. I was thrilled to be here for several reasons; the foremost being, to explore the 2nd-largest hamlet in Asia. I was out to experience the captivating Nagaland culture, and boy, was I ‘truly’ excited! Dimapur and Kohima are the only two cities I visited while in Nagaland, and they were set apart by a mere forty minutes.

On my first three days in Nagaland, I had the remarkable opportunity to attend the second peace convention in Dimapur. It was there that I got to meet and interact with some of the descendants of Nagaland’s ancient tribes. Particularly noteworthy is the Tribe Zemes – The Zeliang of Nagaland and the Zeliangrong of Manipur were two of its main sub-tribes. Even today, a large number of tribes in Nagaland still speak the Zeme Naga dialect, a language that is sadly endangered. 

The peace convention was a success: Tribal chiefs from across the region gathered to express their grievances, ranging from employment issues to political control. It was a remarkable chance to gain insight into the real concerns of the Nagaland people. After two days of exploring the culture of the tribe, I had a much better understanding of their way of life, struggles, and aspirations. Nothing compares to diving into a province’s history and understanding the roots of its traditions and the changes that have occurred since then. On the third day of my visit, I decided to take a tour of the city, checking out its renowned attractions.

As I made my way down the avenue, lined by lush tropical fruit trees on either side, I couldn’t help but be tempted by the aroma of chai from the local tea vendor’s stall at the end. Each exotic fruit I sampled had a delightfully sweet taste; especially the bananas and pineapples. The capital city of Nagaland, Kohima, is a tranquil yet prosperous area, with friendly locals who nearly all speak English! In fact, I hear Christmas is the perfect time to visit this beautiful place and enjoy its forested ridges and hilltops.

We whizzed into one of the villages, an elderly guide taking us to an incredible bird’s eye view of Bara Basti. It was a 360-degree panorama with a special purpose – to allow the village heads to keep an eye on daily activities and ward off any unwanted intruders! And what a sight it was. Kohima spread out in front of us with countless hut-like homes with slanted earthen roofs. After a few memorable moments, we ventured into the village, stepping into the market to explore the culture and the way of life of the locals.

From vibrant handlooms to captivating tribal handicrafts, their delightful collection was so impressive that I couldn’t resist the urge to purchase something! After that, I ventured to the Kohima Museum, which is a visual delight for those who appreciate history. The preserved artefacts here, tell the story of Nagaland in its purest form. I spent around 30 minutes here before setting off to the renowned Catholic Cathedral Church, situated atop the Arudara Hill. After arriving at the church at 1 PM, I was amazed to find that it had over 1500 parishioners from all kinds of tribes and cultural backgrounds.

The church opens its spiritual arms to all, welcoming them with the same level of devotion and reverence. But, not only that – the Catholic Cathedral of Kohima has a uniqueness to it that sets it apart. As you approach this 19th-century pointed church, you can’t help but admire the modern architectural screening that is designed to look like a traditional Naga House. As it stands as a proud sentinel to the surrounding hills, you’ll notice that no building-space has been wasted – it even includes business and residential rooms! Truly, this church stands as a marvel of efficiency and beauty.

Most importantly, this church is a place of prayer for the Japanese war victims who battled in WWII. To pay a further tribute to these warriors, I visited Kohima War Cemetery, my last stop for the day. Visiting this cemetery gave me goosebumps! I felt cold, despaired and excited, all at the same time. One of the graves read “When you go home, tell them of us and say for your tomorrow, we gave our today”. For those who may not know, the battle of Kohima took place between 4th-April and 22nd-June in 1944 near Burma, signalling the Japanese motion in India.

Indian soldiers managed to stop the attackers in time, defeated them and forced them into retreat. As I walked past another grave, I noticed the inscriptions that read, “Sleep on beloved, your task is done, we will meet again in our eternal home.” Visiting this cemetery evokes implicit pride and makes you render gratitude towards all those warriors who lost their lives to protect civilians like us. More so as the battle of Kohima has been declared, as the greatest encounter during the British rule.

My visit to Kohima had come to a close, and I was filled with awe at all I had seen. The next day, I ventured off to explore the lush countryside of the North East. Pineapple and banana plantations abounded, and I was instantly captivated by their beauty.

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6 thoughts on “Visit Kohima, Asia’s Second Largest Village

  1. I have always wanted to visit the North east states; and your article alongwith the beautiful pictures has made me impatient to see it now 🙂

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