A Quick Guide to Facts About Nagaland

The state of Nagaland, located in the serene hills and mountains of northeast India, is one of the smallest Indian states. It is a constituent of a group of contiguous states collectively called the Seven Sisters. Myanmar dominated the area from 1819 to 1826, when the British began annexing the region’s hill areas. In 1963, the Naga people agreed to form a state part of an independent India. More than 20 major Naga tribes and subtribes exist, each with its dialect and customs. Farming and agriculture are the pillars of the Naga economy.

Facts Based on Traditions and Festivals in Nagaland

Nagaland is home to several tribes, each with its own set of festivals: 

• Because agriculture employs more than 60% of Nagaland’s population, most of the state’s festivals revolve around it. 
• Nagas regard their festivals as sacred; participation in these festivals is mandatory.
• The Government of Nagaland organises the famous Hornbill Festival every year in the first week of December since the year 2000.
• The festival aims to encourage inter-tribal relations and promote the state’s cultural heritage.

Facts on Nagaland’s Landscape

Nagaland is almost an entirely mountainous region. 

• Naga Hills rise suddenly from the Brahmaputra valley to roughly 2,000 feet (610 metres) in the north, then ascend to more than 6,000 feet in the southeast (1,830 metres).
• Along the Myanmar border, the mountains merge with the Patkai Range.
• Rivers cut the territory into two halves: the north is the home to the Doyang and Dikhu rivers, the Barak river is in the southwest, and the tributaries of Myanmar’s Chindwin are in the southeast.

Facts on Nagaland’s Climate

The climate of Nagaland is monsoonal (wet-dry), and the humidity level in the state is generally high.

The Government of Nagaland

Important State Symbols 

Famous Places In Nagaland

Kohima War Cemetery

The Kohima War Cemetery was established in April 1944 to commemorate the soldiers who died in the Second World War in Kohima.

Mokokchung

The Mokokchung region hosts the legendary Moatsu festival. It is held every year in May and is organised by the Ao tribe. Like most festivals in the state, this too is a harvest festival.

Japfu Peak

The ascent up Japfu Peak, about 15 kilometres from Kohima, is one of Nagaland’s most arduous climbs. The summit, which stands at 3,048 metres above sea level, is Nagaland’s second tallest peak and attracts hikers and adventure seekers due to its scenic splendour and adventurous pathways.

Kachari Ruins

The Dimasa Kachari Ruins, also known as the Kachari Ruins, are located in the Nagaland town of Dimapur. The ruins are a series of mushroom-domed pillars built by the Dimasa Kachari Kingdom before the Ahom invasion in the 13th century.

Protected Areas in the State

• Ntangki National Park
• Singphan Wildlife Sanctuary
• Puliebadze Wildlife Sanctuary
• Fakim Wildlife Sanctuary

Quick Facts on Nagaland

• On 1 December 1963, Nagaland was elevated to the status of India’s 16th state.
• The state of Nagaland is surrounded by Assam in the northwest, Arunachal Pradesh in the north, and Manipur to the south and shares an international border with Myanmar.
• Before the inclusion of Sikkim in India’s northeastern region, the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura were collectively known as the Seven Sisters States.
• Jyoti Prasad Saikia, a journalist, coined the phrase Land of the Seven Sisters at the time when the new states were formed in January 1972.
• Nagaland’s state capital is Kohima; Dimapur is the largest city in the state.
• The state is primarily hilly, with Mount Saramati (3840 m) being the highest peak of the Naga hills.
• After recording roughly one million Amur Falcons roost in the region, an international team of ornithologists dubbed Nagaland the Falcon Capital of the World.
• In the state, shifting cultivation or the traditional Jhum is widely practised.
• Nagaland’s main agricultural products are rice, millet, maize, pulses, sugarcane, potato, cardamom, coffee, and tea. The state’s main food crop, rice, is a staple diet.
• The locals are mostly tribal, and each tribe has their unique costume and language.
• According to the 2011 population census, the literacy rate in Nagaland is 79.55 per cent.
• Nagaland is one of the three states in which Christianity predominates (the other two being Manipur and Meghalaya).
• Nagaland is known as the Land of Festivals. Each tribe has their festival, which they celebrate with great enthusiasm.
• The most popular festival in Nagaland is the Hornbill Festival. Often referred to as the festival of all festivals, it is a grand celebration that takes place every year.
• The state government established the Hornbill festival in the year 2000 to promote tourism and the state’s tribal culture.
• Nagaland is home to the fascinating Konyak tribe, also known as the headhunters. They are the largest of Nagaland’s 16 majorly recognised tribes and are well-known for their age-old tradition of headhunting.

Conclusion

Until the nineteenth century, the Nagas had little contact with the outside world, even with the rest of India, and they fought British occupation with zeal. The land of the Nagas is as mysterious as it could get; inhabited by vibrant people who zealously guard their culture – dancers, warriors, headhunters, mountains, valleys, and forests – all of these form an integral part of the state. The state is most famous for its Hornbill festival and the Japfu peak, which witness the maximum tourist turnover every year.