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FACTS
& FIGURES
Population : 54000
Languages : Nagamese, Hindi, English, Angami, local
dialects
Best Time to Visit : October to April
THE HILLY HOME
OF THE BRAVE 
“When you go home, tell them of us: that for their
tomorrow, we gave our today,” reads an epitaph
in the War Cemetery of Kohima. This picturesque town
is the home of the brave and daring, yet simple and
innocent, Naga tribes. Lapped in the eastern frontiers
of the Himalayan mountain range, Kohima is marked by
an unhurried pace of life, calm and serene environs
and fresh, unpolluted air, which make a welcome change
for a jaded city dweller. A typical Naga town, it depicts
the exotic tribal culture of the northeast and offers
a panoramic view of the neighboring hills.
LOCATION
Situated in the southwest part of the northeastern state
of Nagaland, Kohima is a hill station perched at an
altitude of 1500 meters above sea level. This capital
town is at a distance of 339 km from Guwahati, 145 km
from Imphal and 74 km from Dimapur. The National Highway
39 connects it to both Dimapur and Imphal. It experiences
around 250 cm of annual rainfall. While summers are
tropical, winters are dry and bitterly cold.
THE PAST
Kohima was founded alongside the large
Angami village known as Kohima Village. It has earned
its name in history as the place where the Japanese
tide during World War II was halted.
SITES TO VISIT
The highway from Imphal to Dimapur—the
route along which the Japanese hoped to reach the plains
of India—crosses the saddle at the foot of the
World War II Cemetery. These immaculate gardens stand
as a memorial to the Allies who died on this very spot
during the three-month Battle of Kohima that ended in
April 1944. Each grave is supported by a bronze plaque
with a suitable epitaph.
The Catholic Cathedral at Aradura Hill is an important
landmark; it is one of the largest cathedrals in the
entire northeast and is home to the biggest wooden cross
in the country.
The Nagaland State Museum, about 1½ km north,
is a one-stop treasure trove where one can get a glimpse
into Naga culture through history. Here one can find
dioramas of each tribe being displayed. The main items
exhibited are gateposts, statues, pillars, jewelry,
and a ceremonial drum that looks like a dug-out war
canoe in a separate shed. This canoe suggests that the
Nagas may have originated from Sumatra. The basement
of the museum has birds and animals of northeastern
hill states.
The Zoological Park abounds in rich flora and fauna
of Nagaland. Of special interest is the world famous
Blythe Tragopan. In the heart of the town, one can see
the last relics of the Kachari kingdom.
SITES NEARBY
Just 5 km away, on the Dimapur–Kohima
Road is Ruzaphema, a place ideally suited for leisure
and recreation with its colorful bazaars and a wide
range of tribal handicrafts that are exquisite in their
style, and unique in their own way.
Around 10 km from Kohima is the village of Khonoma
that abounds in stories of valor and courage. The terraced
fields, which produce 20 types of paddy at different
elevations, present a beautiful view. The Khonoma gate
relates the tragic story of British infiltration into
Naga Hills in 1879.
Situated at an altitude of 3,048 meters above sea level,
15 km from Kohima is the Japfu Peak. It is the second
highest peak of Kohima and ideally suited for trekking
and scaling. The sight of Kohima from here is breathtakingly
beautiful.
Dzukou valley is one of the best trekking spots in
the northeast region at an altitude of 2,438 meters
above sea level, behind Japfu Peak and 30 km to the
south of Kohima. The entire valley is overshadowed with
a type of tough bamboo brush that makes the place appear
like a mowed lawn. White and yellow lilies and numerous
other flowers adorn the valley in summers, while rhododendrons
ornament the hills surrounding the valley.
Mokokchung and Zunheboto, situated 160 and 150 km respectively
from Kohima are picturesque towns at great heights.
Mokokchung is a cultural center of the Ao Nagas. Here
the main festivals of the Aos—Moatsu and Tsungremmong—are
celebrated during the first week of May and August respectively.
Situated at an altitude of 195 meters above sea level
is Dimapur, an important commercial center of Nagaland.
Dimapur hosts the only airport in Nagaland and is also
well connected with the neighboring states of Manipur,
Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram
by National Highway 39. It is also the main railhead
in Nagaland.
Kohima has been profusely showered with Nature’s
bounty. Besides the varied flora, the fauna of Kohima
too boasts of its exotica. The Fakim Sanctuary, close
to the Myanmar border, receives high rainfall and is
inhabited by tigers and hoolock gibbons. The Pulie Badze
Sanctuary is a ringed-in 9-sq-km area that lies in the
proximity of Kohima. Located at a distance of 37 km
from Dimapur, the Intanki Wildlife Sanctuary has some
rare species of birds.
WHERE TO SHOP
The Nagaland State Emporium is near
the bus stand and one can buy colorful shawls, bags,
decorative spears, wood carvings, bamboo baskets and
other handicrafts from here. Each Naga tribe has its
own distinctive design on its shawls and the most famous
one is the red, black and white Tsungkotepsu of the
Ao Nagas. There are also super markets where one can
buy handloom and handicrafts.
HOW TO REACH
The nearest airport is at Dimapur. Indian
Airlines operates Boeing services from both Calcutta
and Delhi every alternate day. Guwahati and Imphal are
also connected to Dimapur by air. The nearest railhead
too is Dimapur, and the Northeast Frontier Railway runs
a number of trains from Dimapur to Guwahati. Guwahati
is in turn well connected to the rest of the country.
Nagaland State Transport runs buses from Dimapur to
Kohima and the journey takes around 4 hours. From Guwahati,
one can find a number of luxury private buses. Taxis
and mini-coaches are also available, albeit at slightly
exorbitant rates, from Dimapur.
WHERE TO STAY
Kohima offers very few choices as far
as lodges are concerned. A few good private hotels and
the Tourist Lodge are the only places to stay. Twenty-five
percent of the rent for accommodation in the Tourist
Lodge is required to be paid in advance either in cash
or by money order at the time of booking.
ENTRY
FORMALITIES
Domestic tourists visiting Nagaland
require to obtain Inner Line Permits issued by the Additional
Deputy Commissioner, Dimapur; Deputy Commissioner, Kohima
and Mokokchung; Deputy Resident Commissioner at Nagaland
House in Calcutta and Delhi; and Assistant Resident
Commissioner, Shillong. A minimal permit fee is realized
from each applicant.
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