I am now in Kolkata Airport waiting for my Indian Airlines flight for the last leg of our return back to Chennai. As I am waiting I mull over my travels in the North-East in the lands of the Seven Sisters. At least, I hope, I got to know two of them well.
I return back with a lot of memories of Nagaland…especially the picturesque Mokokchung District, Land of the Ao Tribe.
Here is an extract from a brochure on Nagaland, titled “Opportunities unlimited” published by the Directorate of Tourism, Nagaland:
“Nagaland today is in a situation where many other famous tourist destinations were some decades back. However the potentials and diversity it holds are perhaps far more than a lot of existing popular destinations. Over the years, the state has been through a lot of ups and downs (is this euphemism or pun!-Sreesri)—but this has been a blessing in disguise for it has preserved the beauty, natural wealth and the overall sanity (sic) of the place.”
The brochure goes on optimistically to state that the Nagaland Tourism Directorate is doing a lot to promote a model where the Naga villages will be used as enviro-friendly tourist destinations thus enabling the villages “to generate their own income through the communitisation of assets”
In spite of the hi-fashion attire that is sported by the men and women even in remote Nagaland, the mass of the Nagas live in primitive conditions. These complete changes in dress and culture were possible because they had the opportunity to convert to Christianity and thus move directly from primitive tribal attire and culture to western mores. They did not apparently have the existential crisis of the Tam Brahms who had to discard a complex socio-religious code including dress and food to adopt westernization and the consequent guilt trip.
All this is fine in principle…but there is a long way to go….
These are the minimum changes needed to make these wishes to reality…
v The roads should be made better
v Larger passenger transport vehicles should be made available. The currently available “Zonal Taxis” are abysmal in comfort.
v The water and power situation should improve
v The locals should come out of their apparent apathy and actively “sell” Nagaland!
v The costs of everything should be scaled down to affordable levels for budget tourists.
A major problem in Nagaland is not just reaching Kohima but reaching interior districts. For example a trip to Saramati peak in Kiphire and back would take at least ten days for someone from any other part of India. So, they need to address this issue. Inter district Helicopters are being mooted already. Again the Ecological balance issue needs to be addressed.
Currently the only big event in the Tourism Calendar is “The Hornbill Festival.” The festival is the focal point of tourism initiatives and the meager number of hotels are over booked for this event. I was talking to An Ao Naga in Mokukchung about Hornbill. I asked him if the Hornbill Bird could be seen in large numbers during this festival. He gave me that vacant look and slowly replied that the Hornbill Bird was almost extinct in Nagaland! If you really want to see a Hornbill you can look at the photograph of a wood carving of a Hornbill that I’ve posted in this blog or you can try Assam!
Well…not for me to be negative… so let me end this post on a positive note:
With sixteen Tribes and as many dialects, Nagaland is itself an example of unity in diversity. When you take this diversified unity or unified diversity and connect it to the already colorful cultural kaleidoscope that is India…what have you…well India…the never changing…ever changing country that could never be truly conquered by its several invaders.
I truly loved my brief sojourn in this state and surely hope to return en famille obviously for Hornbill!
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