There is something Shangri La-ish about the Naga hills and the way they have been hidden from the rest of the world for so many years.

Europe is slowly rediscovering Nagaland thanks to a big exhibition in Basel, Switzerland, called, NAGA: A forgotten mountain region rediscovered. It features both nineteenth century colonised Nagaland and present day Nagaland which has many fascinating aspects to it.

Nagaland is a multi-faceted arena of the world today. On one hand, it is home to a very long conflict with India by which it was occupied in 1947. The freedom struggle of the Nagas continues to this day.

On the other hand, it has opened up to tourism on a very limited scale. So, a thin trickle of tourists visit this mountain region and return with reports of another Shangrila on the Indo-Burmese border. The political conflict gives the beautiful hills a deep hue of tragedy which, for some, heightens its attraction. At the same time, education and modern life goes on in its towns.

Roads winding and undulating up the mountains are the main entrance to Nagaland's capital town, Kohima. The highway itself is picturesque enough with dense forests and animal calls on the one side and, on the other side, a precipice-drop to the river Dhansiri below. The valley regions of Nagaland share the humid and hot climate of the rest of India, very favourable for vegetation. Thick forests abound in the valleys interspersed by cultivated plots of green rice-fields in summer and yellow mustard fields in the winter months. Down in the valley, winter brings a fog that stays low for hours before the sun gets warm enough to lift it. The rich soil of the valleys produce many vegetables and fruits and especially the staple crop, rice.

However, the real Nagaland begins further up the hills. As one travels the highway to Kohima, the forests are a splash of colour. In April, the flowers of Flame-of-the-forest can be seen as scarlet little blobs in the dense forest cover. In November, the same forests turn pink from the abundantly blooming native cherry tree. All throughout the year, the forests remain green as it never gets too cold for all the trees to shed leaves. Autumn colours appear in September and October even as the rice fields turn golden ripe and the trees follow suit in shades of orange, ochre and rust. Added to this, a wild sunflower covers whole slopes with its yellow blossoms.

One can't help thinking in terms of colour when one tries to describe Nagaland. Both land and people colourfully complement each other. The cultural life is colourful, metaphorically speaking. Here are people who talk to trees and listen to their dreams. They do this as part of their traditional beliefs which stem from respect for Nature and bondedness with the spiritual world. In the little villages that are found off the main highway, people still gather round a communal fire to listen to stories being told by oral narrators. Stories of war and warrior-heroes, or love stories from a folk repertory or spirit stories in a setting where artificial lighting is rare and the natural darkness of the nights produce a perfect setting for such stories.If you are visiting Nagaland, I'd definitely say, get off the beaten track. Make sure you find your way to the heart of Naga cultural life: the villages, where life continues almost unsullied by the outside world, and the whole community is awakened in the morning by the village roosters. Life starts early there, as early as 5.00 am, when women and girls fetch water for the household, and a meal is soon prepared. This is to prepare field goers who start work from anytime after 7am. If you linger in the village, you will see the older men congregate at the Dahou, which is a circular sitting place. They come with their long brew-horns, frothy with foam of rice-brew at the top or with big mugs of tea. Most days, there is no serious conversation but simply a gathering of the elders. The conversation is casual. But if there is a stranger in their midst, he is warmly welcomed into their midst and they willingly tell him the stories of the village, and try to answer all his questions as best they can.

The land
Nagaland is situated in India's Northeast, right on the border with Burma. Highly mountainous, it is blest by clear springs and a few big rivers. The earlier settlements were always in the form of hill-top villages. This was favoured by the small populations of villages which found that hilltop settlement gave them greater protection against enemy warriors. Both the valleys and hill slopes are used for cultivation. Sometimes whole hillsides are burnt and cultivated in the slash-and-burn method of swidden cultivation. On the mountains, mist and fog hover for days in the monsoon months. The monsoon comes from the Indian word, Mausum, and refers to the months of heavy rain which bring both salvation and damnation. On the rain starved hills, May to September becomes the season of cultivation whilst in the valleys, floods destroy homes and lives. But Nagaland has never suffered much from floods.

The people
There are a variety of tribes living all over Nagaland. Each tribe has its own culture and its own language. This means that tribal festivals are celebrated throughout the year. The high point of tourist attraction is the Hornbill Festival which is held every year in the first week of December. Though this is a constructed festival, the advantage of it is that it brings all the Naga tribes under one roof and so, it is possible to see the many tribes in their costumes, performing their traditional dances and sports and selling their traditional food.
British colonisation brought modernisation to Nagaland. The ol religion gave way to Christianity and age/old practices like head hunting was forbiden both by the new religion and the new government. There has been a resurgence of cultural pride among these proud tribal peoples, and cultural practices which do not clash with their Christian faith, are practised. The festivals of harvest, sanctification and inter-village friendships are still held anually. Hospitable, friendly and helpful, the average Naga would be quite ready to invite a tourist home to taste his food.

How to get there
Even if you have a visa for India, you need a special permit for Nagaland called an Restricted Area Permit or RAP. This is issued by the Home Commissioner in Nagaland. Websites on Restricted permits to Nagaland offer a form to be filled up and submitted. However, some helpful travel agents are there who help with the permits for a small sum. Flights to Dimapur, the only airport, are available on a daily basis. Hotels such as the expensive and reasonably comfortable Hotel Japfu take in bookings in advance. Cheaper accomodation is also available. Taxis are the main transportation from Dimapur to Kohima. It is possible to travel to all the villages by taxi or bus.

Advice to travelers
Though this is a friendly area, it is always better to make contact with local persons before traveling. Nagas are naturally hospitable and will ensure that the guest is safe and is enabled to experience as much as possible of naga cultural life. I recommend contacts with registered travel agents n Kohima.