Architecture and History

 

 

• Nagaland is land of tribes on edge of Indian border with Myanmar on Eastern Himalayas. Nagaland is famous for stunning landscapes, lofty mountains and beautiful tea gardens.

 

• The prominent tribe who settled in this region were Naga Tribes.

 

• It is believed that during the construction of Great Wall of China, these people were forced to migrate to India from Yunnan province of China travelling via jungles of Myanmar.

 

• Although Nagas have unique genetic composition different from that of the Chinese. Most of the tribes are from Indian origin, only wanderers and nomads came to settle in India.

 

• Nagas are hill dwellers, they live away from the population on the hill slopes or highest place on the hill slope.

 

• The tribal houses are made up of wood and bamboo and have thatched roof with paddy straws and palm leaf. The building materials were used as insulators to keep the house warm.

 

• The Sema villages are built on the summit of a hill built or on the shoulder of a spur. All the houses within the same village had the same style. The Semas were head hunters.

 

• Naga house is an elongated rectangular structure, with a short length making the sides . A few tribes built in circular shapes as well. These houses mostly face eastern direction.

 

• The carving in the houses source from wildlife, horn bull and horns of the bison. Most of suvh houses have one entrance without any window and no mode of ventilation.

 

• Naga houses are different from each other. Some are grouped in a compact block and enclosed by a fence and some are scattered.

 

 

Demographic Location

 

 

• The state of Nagaland is located on the eastern edge of India sharing international boundary with Myanmar.

 

• It is a hilly state on the eastern Himalayas with one of the most breathtaking scenic beauty found on the earth.

 

• Nagaland is surrounded by Arunachal Pradesh to the northeast, Manipur to the south, and Assam to the west and northwest and by Myanmar (Burma) to the east.

 

• The state capital is Kohima, located in the southern region of Nagaland.

 

• The Naga Hills show up in the north rising from the Brahmaputra valley to about 2000 feet and gains elevation beyond 6,000 feet above sea level.

 

• The Naga range mountains merge with the Patkai Range continuation of Arakan system along the Myanmar border with lofty peaks, highest at Mount Saramati.

 

• The region is trenched by act of rivers :

 

• The Doyang and Dikhu in the north
• The Barak in the southwest
• The tributaries of the Chindwin River (in Myanmar) in the southeast

• Nagaland state is water-fed by four main rivers.

 

• Chief tributaries of the Brahmaputra River is Dhansiri stream that originates from the Laisang peak in Nagaland. 
• The Dikhu
• The Doyang
• The Jhanji.

 

• The rich alluvial deposit of the rivers facilitates crop cultivation in the state.

 

• The government has set up power stations to generate hydroelectricity from these rivers. Fishes breed in the fresh mountain waters of the Nagaland rivers.

 

Season and Climate

 

 

• The climate of Nagaland is wet. Nagaland enjoys sub-tropical type of climate.  Nagaland has a monsoonal (wet-dry) climate and high level of humidity.

 

• As in almost all the hilly regions, the average temperatures decreases with greater elevation.

 

• The weather season of Nagaland can be divided into four seasons, they are :

 

• The cold season (Winter),
• The hot season (Pre-Monsoon),
• Rainy season (Monsoon) and
• Cool dry season (Retreating Monsoon)

 

• In winter, it is cold with frost condition at high elevations.

 

• Summer is the shortest season lasting for a few months. Winter often arrives early, with bitter cold and dry weather.

 

• Strong northwest winds blow across the state during the months of February and March.

 

• Snowfall occurs in the higher elevations, but it is rare in the overall state.

 

 

 

Culture and Education

 

 

• Nagaland is the land of festivals. people of Nagaland love to eat, Dance and enjoy Music during their festival, popularly called "Falcon of the World".

 

• Tribal culture is dominant in the cultural set up in Nagaland.

 

• People are fond of eating rice, a meat dish, one or two boiled vegetable dishes, and a chutney/pickle. They eat bolied food rather than fried food.

 

• Pork meat with bamboo shoot is the most common Naga dish. They also have dog meat delicacy in theit recipe.

 

• Chang Lo or Sua Lua is a traditional dancewnjoyed by Chang tribe of Nagaland. Men and women perform gearing up with traditional war weapons like dao, shield and spear.

 

• The natives from the Lotha, Ao and Rengma tribal communities practice highly skilled art of painting on clothes. The basic painting patterns are unique among various tribes.

 

• Tribals enjoy in celebrating Fairs & Festivals in Nagaland. Some of these festivals are :

 

 

• The Heliamleu  renowned by the name of Dancing Song of Nagaland is one of the popular music forms of the state which is based upon romance. It is war song of Nagaland.

 

• Monyo Asho Folk dance is well known in Nagaland. This dance is performed by the Phom Nagas during the Festival Mhonyu.

 

• The most artistic dance of the state is the “Zeliang” dance performed by men, Zeliang tribe women joining their men in dancing.

 

• Dances are performed in groups by clapping and chanting of some formulae. The beauty of the dances is raised by the colourful costumes and traditional jewellery.

 

• The music of Nagaland is basically folk in nature narrating some romantic stories, historic, bravery.

 

• Tati, Theku, Asem (drums), Jemji, violin, mouth organ, bamboo flute, guitar, flutes, pipes are the main instruments played with songs and dance of Nagaland.

 

• The people of Nagaland make bamboo and cane products. Work of art and crafts are reflected by Basketry, Weaving, Woodcarving, Pottery, Metal work, Jewellery and Beadwork.

 

• Most of the people of Nagaland follow Christianity.

 

• English and Nagamese which is a creole language based on Assamese, is the spoken language in Nagaland.

 

• The major languages spoken in Nagaland are :

 

• Konyak, Ao, Lotha, Angami, Chakru, Sangtam, Bengali, Zeme, Yimchungre, Chang, Khiamniungan, Rengma, Phom, Nepali, Kheza, Pochury, Kuki, Chakhesang, Assamese, Bodo and Sema.

 

• The Ao language is one of the Nagaland languages which have written scripts.

 

• Literacy rate is average in India. Nagaland faces similar challenges for elementary and higher education as the other hill states in India.

 

 

Famous Spots

 

 

Kohima -

 

• Hilly capital of Nagaland. The natives of Nagaland used to call the state capital 'Kewhira' inspired from Kewhi flowers of the region. It a paradise on land for its natural beauty.

 

MokukChung -

 

• One of the most significant urban center in Nagaland and home of Ao Naga.

 

Dimapur -

 

• Known to be the largest and fastest growing city of Nagaland. Some of the few attractions here are: Triple Falls, Kachari Ruins, the Nagaland science center and the zoological park.

 

Tuensang -

 

• Headquarters of the Tuensang district of Nagaland, flanked by Myanmar. It is another center of attraction for urban settlers.

 

 

Aqualife, Flora and Fauna

 

• The state of Nagaland is covered by the evergreen tropical and the sub tropical forests.

 

• The flora of Nagaland is dominated by the growth of the thick wooded trees like the mahogany and timber, Palm, Rattan and Bamboo.

 

• The interiors of the forests are homes for some ferocious animals like the leopards and the bears.

 

• Variety of arboreal monkeys, Elephants, deer, wild oxen, sambar and buffaloes reside in the untouched wood and forests of Nagaland.

 

• The Indian Hornbill is one of the most popular birds of the state.

 

• The major crops cultivated in the state are rice, millet, grams, rubber, maize and tea.

 

• The farmers grow Banana, orange, fruit, pineapple, pear, jack fruit, plums, Garlic, chilli, cabbage, tomato, potato and ginger fertile soil of Nagaland.

 

• Mithun (a semi-domesticated gaur) is the state animal of Nagaland.

 

• Chocolate mahseer, the state fish of Nagaland.

 

• Doyang water reservoir fisheries is dominated by Carps, catfishes, loaches, mahseers, snakeheads and spiny eels.

 

• Majority of fish species found in the reservoir have high ornamental and food value.