Backpacking Series

Skin color may differ from state to state ranging from rosy cheeks to yellow to dark, languages may differ from state to state ranging from a more Hindi-like to ‘Khalang-Phalang’ to ‘Ching-chong’, taxi drivers’ attitudes may differ from person to person ranging from “Give me the actual fare” to “ The festival is organized at The Heritage Village of Nagaland called Kisama (see above), which is about an hour’s drive from Kohima, Nagaland’s capital. The roads are not in good condition, hitch-hiking doesn’t usually work (unless it’s on trucks), and you may miss out on the best tourist spots in Nagaland, because there’s good distance between them. So if you manage to find a hotel in Kohima that costs INR 500 (budget guest houses are available but may not be in very good condition) and you eat two meals a day, you spend only INR 900 on basic needs in THE CAPITAL of Nagaland.

For a long time now, Apatani tribesmen have employed local knowledge for wet-rice cultivation while constantly emphasizing on sustainable agriculture, an interesting case in today’s burgeoning shift towards mechanized agricultural practices. It supercharges itself, every year, in what’s popularly known as the Ziro Festival of Music or ZFM, when the entire valley relinquishes its isolation and comes alive in an altogether different fashion. It brings together people from all over the world – aficionados of music willing to embark on a whooping 18-20 long hours of arduous journey from Guwahati, the largest city in Northeast India. The success of ZFM lies in the fact that it has carved out a niche for itself in the indie music scene, acting as a platform for lesser-known artists and bands to showcase their talents while at the same time inviting established acts to make some buzz.

We went to places such as Guwahati in Assam, Shillong and Cherapunjee in Meghalaya, Gangtok, Ravangla, Changu lake, Nathula pass in Sikkim, and even Darjeeling in the neighboring state of West Bengal. Let me add, from what I gather and the images I see, even though I could not visit (due to weather), some of my other favorites include Kanchendzonga, Gurudongmar Lake, Lachen, and Yumthang Valley in North Sikkim. For instance, the news of landslides disrupted our plans to visit some of North Sikkim’s most beautiful places such as Lachen, Lachung, Yumthang Valley, etc. * North Sikkim: Since I could not visit this district due to seasonal landslides, I would go back in the winters to witness the snowy Yumthang Valley, Gurudongmar lake, a high-altitude, glacial-water lake, and Mount Kanchendzonga.

India’s North East is opening up to host an increasing number of travelers. If I have to recommend specific times, I’d say you must visit Ziro during the harvest and Orange Festivals. I guess there’s a good reason why Hornbill Festival is called the ‘Festival of Festivals’ and I’d like to witness it! This one pitches itself as India’s first fest that combines adventure sports and music gigs on one platform!