NagalandThings to do

Things to do in Nagaland

  1. Kisama Heritage Village

    This open-air museum has a representative selection of traditional Naga houses and morungs (bachelor dormitories) with full-size log drums. Nagaland’s biggest annual festival, the Hornbill Festival (1–7 December) is celebrated here with various Naga tribes converging for a weeklong cultural, dance and sporting bash, much of it in full warrior costume. Simultaneously Kohima also hosts a rock festival. Kisama is 10km from central Kohima along the well-surfaced Imphal road.

    reviewed

  2. War Cemetery

    An immaculate War Cemetery contains graves of 1200 British, Commonwealth and Indian soldiers. It stands at the crucially strategic junction of the Dimapur and Imphal roads, the site of intense fighting against the Japanese during a 64-day WWII battle. This reached its climax on the deputy commissioner’s tennis court (marked out) with seven days of incredibly short-range grenade-lobbing across the net. Deuce!

    reviewed

  3. Rajbari Park

    Nagaland’s flat, uninspiring commercial centre was the capital of a big Kachari kingdom that ruled much of Assam before the Ahoms showed up. All that remains are some curious, strangely phallic pillars of a former palace complex dotted about scraggy Rajbari Park near the interesting market.

    reviewed

  4. Dream Café

    Beneath UCO Bank is Kohima’s youth meeting point, with twice-monthly live mini-gigs and CD's of Naga music for sale. Great views from the back windows, a bunch of magazines to read and home-made cakes make this is a good lingering place.

    reviewed

  5. Flaming Wok

    The fare is mainly Chinese but with some Indian dishes. A guitar is available if you wish to serenade your fellow diners. It is on Nagaland State Transport (NST) Rd; upstairs overlooking the taxi stand.

    reviewed

  6. State Museum

    The superbly presented State Museum includes plenty of tableaus with mannequins-in-action depicting different traditional Naga lifestyles plus everyday tools.

    reviewed

  7. Central Market

    At the fascinating if tiny central market, tribal people sell such ‘edible’ delicacies as borol (wriggling hornet grubs) .

    reviewed

  8. Popular Bakery

    Stroll two minutes down PR hill from Viewpoint Lodge for delicious breakfast pastries or Indian sweets.

    reviewed