A
Legend
Gairemong, the culture hero of the Rongmei Nagas, was
born of the union between a human mother and the master
of the world who came to her in the form of a charming
python. A few hours happily spent and a child deposited
in the woman's womb, the python coiled away. He found
the duties of domestication too heavy on him and so
went away to indulge in pursuits of pleasure.
Meanwhile, the son grew up and like the Buddha was
confronted by the miseries that plagued society. Who
was responsible for them? He found no answer, but his
quest was ongoing. Finally, finding that he was anguished,
his mother told him who was the master of the world.
The father was, however, in the midst of great fun.
When the son reprimanded him for being so lackadaisical
about the world he had created, the master of the world
cursed him. But soon the compassion of the father got
better of him and he bequeathed the rocks, the trees,
the birds, the tigers, and the meandering streams to
his son. "They will save you even when humanity
turns against you," blessed the father in a hurry.
Gairemong in turn went around giving the people the
message of the world. You are your own master he said.
Even today, the hills of Nagaland resound
with this call.
Naga Hills
The hills of Nagaland lie to the very
east of India, south of Arunachal Pradesh, north of
Manipur and east of Assam. To its west, it shares a
border with Myanmar (Burma). It is one of the magnificent
mountainous systems that extend from the Chittagong
Hill tracts to the Patkao Mountains at a point where
the range is joined by northeastern offshoot of the
Himalayas.
Adjoining a part of the Chin Hills and Arakan Yoma
mountain system, Nagaland comprises
three massive mountain ranges, which run irregularly
parallel to each other from north to south. They are
the Barail, the Naga and the Patkai ranges. A number
of rivers run the terrain too. The largest and the most
important among them are the Doyang and the Dikhu. With
many forests and a varied wildlife, Nagaland
is a veritable treasure house of nature. It has also
some of the most beautiful orchids and flowers.
Kohima - The Capital City
Nagaland is spread over an area of
56,366 square miles and has a population of about seven
lakhs. Its capital Kohima is so called because "Kew
Hi" is the name of a plant grown on the mountainside.
"Kew Hi Ma" means "the men of the land
where the flower Kew Hi grows". Earlier, Kohima
was known as "Thigoma".
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