Pleasure Pockets: 5 must-see places on your trip to Kohima

If the five little known facts about Kohima got you curious about the city, here’s something more for you. Here are five places to visit while in Kohima, though I wouldn’t recommend planning for a just-Kohima-trip:

1. Kohima War Cemetery: Located at the heart of Kohima, on a well managed hill is the Kohima War Cemetery. Maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, the grave of 1,420 allied war heroes from ‘The Battle of Kohima’ lies here, and is the main tourist attraction in the city. A war tank from the war is also preserved and kept at Officers Hill, a few hundred metres west of the Cemetery.
2. Mary Help of Christians Cathedral: The Cathedral is one of the largest cathedrals in the region, and is home to the biggest wooden cross in the country. The construction of the cathedral was initially funded by the families of the fallen Japanese soldiers, in memory of the soldiers who died in ‘The Battle of Kohima’. It is situated at Aradura Hills, also offering a breathtaking view of Kohima.
3. Kohima Village: The village prides itself as the second largest village in Asia, and is located adjacent to the city on the North Eastern part of the city. Should you wish for a rural experience but don’t have the time to travel deeper into Nagaland, this is the indubitable choice. The village gates, traditional Morungs are its unique features, among many others.

   

4. Kisama: Hornbill Festival (the biggest festival of the Nagas) is held here, and is often termed as the ‘Hornbill Festival Village’. Located about 10kms away, on the Southern part of the city, one can find traditional housing structures (Morungs) of various tribes. It also provides a quiet and a lovely potluck picnic spot, where one can indulge in, and enjoy the indigenous architecture of the indigenous Nagas, any time of the year.
5. Trekking: There lies a number of hotspots around Kohima for nature lovers, where one can enjoy a pleasant nature walk. Pulie Badze, Japfu Peak, Dzukou Valley, to name a few.

Unless you really love mud and rain, the best me to visit the city is from October to May. Monsoon disturbs smooth travels during June-September. So, pack your bags and begin making plans, will ya?

Author profile: Nokho Nyekha is a coffee addict, a nature lover and independent researcher of indigenous traditions.