Skyline
a tale
ON THE TAIL OF
Collecting stories from the green heart of Nagaland.
Meet the author
Words Vijaya Pratap
Vijaya Pratap is a freelance journalist and a documentary filmmaker based in Hyderabad. She specialises in the study of art, culture and wildlife.
40
May 2023
The land of picturesque hills and verdant landscapes, of brave head-hunters and fierce warriors, and a receptacle of ancient traditions – Nagaland is a sweet enigma waiting to be unravelled. A closer look and a warm interaction dispel many a myth about the quiet, shy yet very friendly people who love to tell stories about their deservedly proud state. A story seems to be hidden in every corner – from hunting legends to spiritual tales. I follow the story of Khonoma, India’s first 'Green Village'. Located around 20 km from
state capital Kohima, Khonoma is a scenic village overlooking green paddy fields and surrounded by horizon-kissing forested hills. It's home to the brave Angami Nagas, an indigenous warrior tribe. My guide is Vibhu, an Angami inhabitant of the once “warrior village”. He starts with a story of how Khonoma’s fierce soldiers resisted the British. And then he narrates, with great pride, the story of how the villagers launched a campaign for nature conservation. Traditionally, the villagers