North-east Nostalgia...Part-I......Nagaland

knbg · Mar 15, 2012

Dear Friends,

As agreed in my Tryst with Tusker , I am now here with my North-east Nostalgia.....Nagaland......Sharing the memories of my years in Nagaland.....

A decade ago......

I was a busy technocrat......Textile technocrat...in Chennai.......

Rushing to office early in the morning......
Running up and down between the departments.....
Planning the lay-out......
Doing time-studies.......
Taking care of production and shipments of some of the best shirt brands.......
Working late nights.......working on sundays.......Work was my passion.......and after each passed shipment, I would not forget to offer a coconut to the Great Ganesha in a little temple near our office.......

It was on one such sunday......
I got a call from home.....( cell phones were a luxury then...).....
After three visits to astrologers........and after a few phone calls........It was decided that a prospective groom with very good horoscope match would come home with his parents and sisters to see me.......and I should some how reach home atleast two hours before their scheduled arrival.........
I made it......we met........and it was decided that the wedding would be in three months......all in a jiffy........and....the groom.....was a bank professional......posted in Nagaland.........

It was promised by them, that he would some how try for a transfer to Chennai and that was the bait I fell for......I need not leave my job..........

Then, they left........and I shared the news with my friends........

My best friend sang this song .........

[video]http://youtu.be/BYSkQbOaJQU[/video]

That was my first thought about North-east........and Nagaland....all I had seen were pictures of Nagas in their traditional dress in Elementary school Social Studies text books and G.K books.....

And my DH was not of the type to call me and talk to me too........So, I never got the chance to know how life in Nagaland would be......

With just the photographic memory and "Paarthaal pasi theerum" song........My imagination was let loose.....

And I was dreaming of beautiful hills..........brooks.....valleys.......and Nagas............in between my trips to Kancheepuram to check the progress of the Silk saree.......that was being woven specially for me.....as per my design and color specifications......and trips to Jewellers......( Gold was some what affordable then........)

Three months rolled quickly.......and the day came.......when we had to take the train to Nagaland.....

It was a late night train on a thursday......and we had a sentimental send-off at Chennai Egmore station.......

After the train started moving....the rhythmic lullaby took me to a sweet slumber............

It was fun.....for the first two days.....but I started being impatient......as the journey seemed never-ending......

Yes, it takes 3 nights and 3 days to reach Dimapur, Nagaland from Chennai by train......

But, of course, the scenery was too good......after familiar Tamilnadu and Andra....

Orissa was lovely with it shore line.....

Then, West-Bengal with it's lovely bridges.......

Then Assam.........with it's magnificent Brahmaputra bridge......

and lush, emerald greenery and lovely landscapes.......

Paddy fields......bamboo watch houses on stilt.......ponds.......betel nut trees with betel wines twining on them.....peasants carrying saplings in boats........Just lovely......all with the cool breeze and "tadak-tadak" of the train.......

We reached Dimapur, Nagaland.....and started our newly-wed life.....

Everything was beautiful and new for a girl who had never seen any other place other than a few places in Tamilnadu and a few trips to Newdelhi.....

The Nagas we met and lived with were so friendly and out-spoken.....so modern......mostly pious christians.....wearing formal suits to church services.....hard workers......early raisers.......interested in gardening.....and decorating home aesthetically.......I have made quite a good number of Naga friends.....and had a nice time chatting with them on cool, cloudy afternoons.....under a tree.....with hot, steaming tea and crispy biscuits......

I enjoyed my trips to the local bazaar........I learned 'nagamese' by talking to the local vegetable vendors.......all veggies are fresh there....mostly organic......and along side.....I found some items....that seemed peculiar and out of place in a food market........I found colorful worms....frogs...stringed together.....and snails.......along with the 'hottest chilli of the world'...'bhooth jaloka- or naga chilli'

Their food habits are healthy....not much of oil used......mostly rice with boiled veggies, pork and hot chutney made with 'bhooth jaloka'.....steamed momos.....black tea......and occasional naga delicacies......

The infra-structure was not so good........power -cuts would be often...the climate would be hot and humid in summer....but, we had hails so often to cool us.......winter would be foggy and cold......

Traditional houses are made with bamboo.......a little advanced houses ....called 'Assam type houses' were made with tin-roof.....But all houses....be it small or big......had a spacious front-yard.....with aesthetically maintained garden.......and lovely glass windows.....with lace curtains........It was so romantic and lovely, to live in a house......with low roof......and glass windows all around.....with lovely lace curtains......and bamboo furniture.....with warm cushions and cozy naga-shawls.......

Contd........

knbg · Mar 15, 2012

Contd.....

I learned the art of making soft rotis and ' kadak lal-cha' strong black tea there.....

Dimapur, is a nice town, which is a little cosmopolitan........Nagas, Bengalis,Nepalis,Biharis and South-indians live there in harmony......

I had the chance to mingle with many Keralites there and learnt malayalam and Kerala cuisine there....along with learning to make Makai ki rotis , Sarson da Sajna.......using "mita tel'( mustard oil)

I enjoyed Durga Pujas there......celebrated with all splendour.........which I have written about in this thread....Navaratri in North east India........I had been to 'Iyyapa Pujas'....organized by the Army....in the cantonment........I learnt to make 'unniappams'.......and made scores of them for the puja.......

I visited Kohima- the hilly capital of Nagaland.......many times....during my DH's official trips.......and enjoyed the trips.....in a jeep......spiraling along the hills....capped with clouds.....the fresh breeze and cute houses...........

I understood the value of friendship and helping those in need while being there......with all my friends supporting me and helping me while I was pregnant and when my DH would be out of town because of his work......
One friend of mine would say..."You are having potatoes and potatoes now....your DS would be potato lover....!"....( And it is true.....)
Another would laughingly prod me to have food saying...." You are lucky....we are with you.....giving you delicacies........when I was pregnant with my DD, we were in remote hills....where we could find nothing tasty.....I shall have curd-rice....seeing the picture of a pickle advertisement in "vanitha magazine"...( a malayalam women's magazine)

I shall always cherish the memories of good times with our best friends.....who were more like a family to us.......
Their kids would come to our little house for sleep-overs.....
Calling me and my DH "athai" and "mama"....( aunt and uncle in tamil......)...
Now they are sweet teenagers and young adults......some working....some in college......I used to tell them stories......play with them.....sing to them......giggle with them......help them with their home-work and projects......the picnics to Garampani- hot water springs and Deopani- an old temple of maa Vaishnodevi.......nice places in the near-by Assam border....I shall write about them in detail in my following posts......

I just loved living there....that I told my DH to postpone his transfer to Chennai......

I started giving back to the lovely community by volunteering in a local school and coaching students for their board exams and entrance exams..........

After a few years........
We moved to our next destination in the North east.........
This time with a cute addition in our family......our DS.........
Shall share about the next destination in my next snippet..........

Till then.......It is "Bye" from Bhargavi.....signing off from Nagaland..................

smileAlways · Mar 16, 2012

Wow bhargavi!! Your post is so interesting and descriptive with the added beauty of nice pictures.
I wants to visit Nagaland after reading your post. I have heard that native nagans are very strict community. And they will kill us if we do something against them. Is that true?
Waiting for the second part:thumbsup

kkrish · Mar 16, 2012

Very very lovely article Bhargavi!
Your narrative style is so simple and took me right into the heart of Nagaland.
I felt I was experiencing it all.
The pictures are wonderful. I especially love the multi color houses - really picturesque!
The chillies - so red!!! Are they as hot?
Thank you for taking me to Nagalad without he hassle of passport, visa, and especialy without spending single $$!
Therefore looking for more

Mindian · Mar 16, 2012

I LOVED the post , Dear bhargs

and the more I live, I learn that life is as you choose to take it. you could have cribbed about leaving a career and moving from a bIg city like Chennai to a much quieter place but instead ,you chose to take the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the place and the people around you. A big kudos to you for that.:thumbsup

Nagaland sounds BEAUTIFUL through your eyes.you took us all along with your unhurried and interesting narration.I am sure you have lovely memories of your stay there. Personally, I am tired of big places and long to settle in one small place ....at least after retirement.

and the house sounds SO romantic..a great way to begin your wedded life I bet hubby used to come home for lunch ??? ha !! my idea of a purrrfffect life style.:cheers

So you are quite an expert cook? You have named quite a variety for a newly wed

Arunarc · Mar 16, 2012

That was a lovely post Knbg....
Actually it is weekend for me when I saw your post i was so tempted to read it...and couldn't stop until I finished reading it.
Wow so your honeymoon was in Nagaland ehh...that's cool.....
As I was reading it was like I was travelling with you around Nagaland, having fun hearing your stories and running around Enjoyed the lovely photos that you have shared.

Padmini · Mar 16, 2012

Dear bhargavi,
A lovely and wonderful post!! Your beautiful narration not only brought the scenes of Nagaland but also made me feel the transformation of a young carefree girl to a home maker!!
The unhurried pace of life, calm and serene environs and fresh, unpolluted air makes a welcome change for a jaded city dweller and an opportunity to soak in the rich Naga traditions. Besides all these warm and colourful Naga shawls, hand-woven shoulder bags, decorative spears, woodcarvings and bamboo works are traditional arts handed from generation to generation, with each tribe having it's own distinctive style and color schemes.They make excellent souvenirs.Importance of agriculture and hard work is brought by their folk songs. Even they drag a life lesson from the bird voice. They believe in the family bond and the love and affection between siblings without which material wealth becomes nothing. Sorry for the long one. Waiting eagerly for the next one.
with love
pad

cutemonster · Mar 16, 2012

that was a beautiful post and brought back so many memories for me , i have stayed in nagaland for some time when my dad was posted there. although i was in college at that time and stayed in hostel so used to visit dad only in vacations. i remember when i was asked where is my family and when i told nagaland people would look at me with surprise only when i said my father being in forces was posted there their expression returned to normal ! some how people thought thats not india ! but i felt they are as patriotic as us on any day!
people know so little about north east but i feel i had some of the best time of my life in north east , with dad we got to stay in arunachal, assam , nagaland, mizoram and when he was posted in dimapur we used to go to imphal for shoping !
the place is really full of natural beauty and people are friendly and full of life!
even had a chance to present a small function at north eastern cultural center.
cant for get the war memorial in kohima ! some of the lines written on tombs brought tears to my eyes so much young soldiers !
there is one incident also we got driver's licence from dimapur once on being caught in punjab when we showed the lisence the cop could not understand which place is it and asked are u from england ? then had to be told no my dear sir its nagaland , a far flung part of india ! made me laugh as well feel bad that people know so little about their own country !
i remember how me n my brother would adjust the antenna 100 times so that we could catch little bit of doordarshan. when people in north were busy with cable tv we just waited and jumped when dordarshan would come
also we would call up call operators as they played hindi music which was only form of entertainment for us ! but yeah early morning walks in calm environments and natural beauty was one thing we cherished !
thank u for such a lovely post and ya waiting for the next one !

vjbunny · Mar 16, 2012

Dear Bhargavi...
Lovely narration dear.... and its nice that you could do something for the people too....Hats off dear ..Will look forward to next episodes Will u please give me tips on making good kadak lal cha...I like thembut dont kn how to make one

iyerviji · Mar 16, 2012

Bhargavi dear a wonderful post with excellent narration. I have already finished my nominations otherwise would have nominated your post. Anyway whether it is nominated by me or not no doubt it is worthy of nomination.

You have taken all of us with your post to Nagaland and we could see through you Nagaland without spending money. Waiting to read your next episode on this.