Travel Guide to Nagaland, India
The culture, natural charm and untouched regions of Nagaland located on the northeast side of the country would make this place appear to you as one of the most welcoming states in the country.
On the far east side of India there are many naturally and culturally rich places hidden from the eyes of mainstream travellers.
Often the list of popular places in India miss out some of the perfectly preserved sites in the country where so few travellers since many centuries have managed to visit in the past.
Explore some great facts about this veiled wonder in the far east of India.
You require India e-Tourist Visa (eVisa India or Indian Visa Online to witness the amazing places and experiences as a foreign tourist in India. Alternatively, you could be visiting India on a India e-Business Visa and want to do some recreation and sight-seeing in northern India and foothills of Himalayas. The Indian Immigration Authority encourages visitors to India to apply for Indian Visa Online (India e-Visa) rather than visiting Indian Consulate or Indian Embassy.
The Land of Festivals
Popularly known as the ‘Land of Festivals’, there are numerous cultural events that are celebrated in this Indian state throughout the year.
With numerous tribes each with a culture of its own, on your visit to Nagaland you are sure to witness some of the most vibrant festival celebrations be it any time of the year.
Visiting some of the most popular festivals in Nagaland is a perfect way to get introduced to the state’s traditional ways of life
Mim Kut festival
A post harvest festival celebrated in many parts of Northeast India, this festival takes place in the months of August to September usually after the harvest of maize. Mim Kut festival is mostly celebrated in the state of Mizoram and parts of Nagaland.
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Hornbill Festival
Known as the ‘Festival of Festivals’, Hornbill Festival attracts thousands of tourists to Nagaland every year in the month of December.
Held at the Naga Heritage village, at a near distance from Kohima, the state’s capital, here you can witness the vast cultural diversity within Nagaland given its numerous tribes and traditions.
Ngada Festival
A native festival belonging to the state of Assam and Nagaland, this hugely popular celebration of Nagaland belongs to the state’s Rengma tribe. The post harvest festival takes place at the end of every year involving a great traditional gathering and feast.
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Bushu Festival
One of the main festivals of Dimasa Kachari tribe, this celebration takes place as a thanksgiving to the tribal deity.
Also a post harvest festival, on your visit to Nagaland you can witness this festival in the month of January. The celebration takes place around different villages of the state and although there is no specific time for the festivities, it is usually organized on a full moon night.
Sekrenyi Festival
A ten day long celebration of the Angami tribes, this festival celebrates the purification and sanctification before going to war.
Locally known as the Phousanyi, the event marks one of the main cultural practices of the Chakhesang Nagas of Nagaland. This annual celebration can be experienced among the Angami tribes of Nagaland in the month of February.
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Tribes and Traditions
Angami People
Mostly settled in Kohima, Nagaland, the Angamis are native to this Indian state. With more than twenty tribes found in the region, the Angami tribe is one of the major ethnic groups within Nagaland.
Known for their refined basket making skills and numerous handicrafts, witnessing the culture of this ethnically rich part of India is something you must experience on a visit to Nagaland.
Traditional Attire of Nagaland
One of the main components of Naga traditional costume found in every tribe is a vibrant traditional shawl, unique in colour for each tribe and the role of the associated person.
Attire for women in traditional Nagaland includes vibrant ankle length skirts with stripes which vary in colour depending on the tribe’s customs.
Besides the state’s traditional jewellery includes numerous materials including shells, tusks, ivory, beads, all paired up together to form a traditional tribal art..
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Ethinc Food and Cuisines of Nagaland
Ethinc Food and Cuisines
Bamboo Shoot
One of the major ingredients used in the Naga cuisine, dried bamboo shoot is mostly consumed as a vegetable in Nagaland.
Bamboo can be found in many varieties across parts of Northeast India and is consumed as well as used in many cooking processes in many Northeast Indian states including Nagaland. Mesu or Fermented Bamboo shoots is a base used in various curries prepared using traditional methods.
Anishi
A delicacy made of fermented leaves, sun dried and served as green leaves, this Naga cuisine is simple yet authentic representation of the state’s culture.
Mostly prepared from the leaves of Colocasia Genus, this dish is mainly popular among the state’s Ao tribe, with the process of its preparation starting with the harvest of the green leaves.
Rice
Being the state’s staple food and found in many varieties within Nagaland, rice is no doubt one of the star components of a colour and flavour rich Naga thali. Complementing a number of curries and spices on the plate, rice is accompanied with all major cuisines in this region and almost all other parts of Northeast India too.
Rosep Aon
A traditional dish belonging to the Ao Naga tribe of Nagaland, this cuisine is more like a Naga style mixed vegetables. This local style of boiled vegetables is one of the simplest dishes found in this Indian state, a delicacy which clearly stands out among the numerous complex flavours found in Naga cuisine.
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Places to Explore in Nagaland
Places to Explore
Naga Heritage Village
Also known as the Kisama Heritage village, this scenic place is located close to the state’s capital Kohima. Here you would truly feel an experience back in time with the glimpses of traditional tribal ways and life of the region.
A preserved heritage site, the village is specifically designed to ideally portray true Naga culture, much of which has been gradually fading amidst cultural and religious mix observed in the state since many centuries.
Here you can experience the culture of many tribes of Nagaland and if you plan to visit the area during the popular Hornbill Festival you would surely get immersed in the vibrant spirit of the place.
Kachari Ruins
Located in Nagaland's largest city Dimapur, these 10th century ancient ruins from the Kachari Civilisation are one must see attraction in the state.
A series of mushroom shaped pillars, which once was a flourishing area under the Dimasa Kachari Kingdoms, tells the tales of this state’s glorious past now left in ruins.
Ntangki National Park
This national park in Peren district of Nagaland is famous for wild buffaloes and hoolok gibbon found only in this Indian state.
For any traveller visiting this remote state in the Northeast of India, a visit to this only established National Park of Nagaland is a must, where the rare wildlife and remote forests would simply amaze you.
Khonoma Village
Popularly known as the first green village of India, this place is home to the Khonoma Nature Conservation and Tragopan Sanctuary.
Known for its green cover and rich wildlife, this green village is located on the India- Myanmar border. You must visit this place to see the local way of life and traditional agriculture practices found on this side of the country.
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