The state of Nagaland was formally inaugurated on December 1st, 1963, as the 16th state of the Indian union. It is bounded by Assam in the West, Myanmar (Burma) on the east, Arunachal Pradesh and part of Assam on the North and Manipur in the South.
It is a land of folklore passed down the generations through word of mouth. Here, music is an integral part of life; folk songs eugolising ancestors, the brave deeds of warriors and traditional heroes; poetic love songs immortalising ancient tragic love stories; Gospel songs that touch your soul (should you have a religious bend of mind) or the modern tunes rendered exquisitely to set your feet a-tapping.
Each of the 16 odd tribes and sub-tribes that dwell in this exotic hill State can easily be distinguished by the colourful and intricately designed costumes, jewellery and beads that they adorn. The present generation of Nagas has ventured into fashion designing in a big way, reproducing fabrics that represent the ancestral motifs blended with modern appeal.
The traditional ceremonial attire of each tribe is in itself; the multicoloured spears and daos decorated with dyed goats hair, the headgear made of finely woven bamboo interlaced with orchid stems, adorned with boar`s teeth and hornbill`s feathers, elephant tusk armlets etc. In days of yore every warrior had to earn each of these items through acts of valour, to wear them.
Nature could not have been kinder to Nagaland, sometimes referred to as the Switzerland of the East; the exquisitely picturesque landscapes, the vibrantly colourful sunrise and sunset, lush and verdant flora ….. this is a land that represents unimaginable beauty, moulded perfectly for a breath taking experience.
Its people belong to the Indo-Mongoloid stock, whose ancestors lived off nature`s abundant gifts, blessed with sturdy formidable dispositions. Above all, the people here are warmhearted and extremely hospitable.
Nagaland is blessed with salubrious climate throughout the year and one can visit it anytime. Nagaland is an ideal place for trekking, rock climbing, and jungle camping and offers limitless exploration possibilities in its lush and verdant sub-tropical rain forests which are also a treasure trove of a plethora of medicinal plants.
Nagas, by nature, are lovers of fun and frolic and here life is one long festival. The Nagas with their joie de vivre, dance and songs are a part and parcel of all their festivities. Most of their dances are performed with a robust rhythm.
Economy and Infrastructure
Agriculture employs about 90 percent of the people of Nagaland. Rice and corn are the main crops. However, the state is not self-sufficient in food. Shifting cultivation is widely practised. Food needs have caused the fallow, or idle, period to be cut to a couple of years, causing erosion and a loss of soil fertility and crop yields. The forests, which cover about 17 percent of Nagaland, are its most important source of income. There are varied mineral reserves, including oil deposits, but little exploitation.
The state has adopted an industrialization program since the 1970s. Until the early 1970s, only cottage industries (e.g., weaving, woodwork, basketry, and pottery) existed in the state. Lack of raw materials, financial resources, and power, as well as poor transport and communications, all hindered industrial growth. Dimapur, the state`s leading industrial centre, now has a sugar mill and distillery, a brick factory, and a television assembly plant. Other industries in the state include a khandsari (molasses) mill, rice mills, fruit-canning plants, a paper and pulp factory, a plywood factory, and cabinet and furniture factories.
Chromium, nickel, cobalt, iron ore, and limestone are found in Nagaland, but only low-grade coal deposits are mined at present. Boreholes drilled in the western district of Wokha have yielded oil, and seepages in the Dikhu valley, near Assam, suggest the presence of exploitable oil reserves. Power generation depends mainly on diesel plants, though hydroelectric output has increased. More than 50 percent of Nagaland`s power is generated in Assam.
Nagaland depends mostly on roads for transportation. A national highway runs from Dimapur to Kohima and then on to Imphal in Manipur. Another main road links Mokokchung with Amguri in Assam. A short stretch of the Northeast Frontier Railway passing through Dimapur from Assam is the only rail link with the rest of India. Air service is available from Dimapur to Guwahati in Assam and to Calcutta in West Bengal.
The state also possesses natural oil reserves.
