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While the Hornbill Festival is undoubtedly a good time to get a feel for Nagaland, the locals tell us that we would have a better time if we came in spring and didn’t cause so many traffic jams on their roads. Given that their roads are small, winding and everyone has a craze for SUVs, this suggestion is probably one I’ll take the next time I visit.
What stood out in Nagaland was the quality of their silence. It’s peaceful, contemplative and seems perfect when you gaze into the unending green hills and valleys.
Their love for flora is unmatched! Every single home, small dwelling, has planters and pots overflowing with blossoms and greens. Almost all the homes have a creeper or five draped over their roofs or climbing up via trellises and finding pumpkins squatting on doorsteps or squashes resting on rooftops is par for course!
The Northeastern part of India is still largely undiscovered, despite the increased footfalls over the years. A part of me wishes it stays that way to preserve their ways of life and customs.
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The food in Nagaland takes you by surprise. One hears so much about the (in)famous Naga Chillies that it seems like all their food will be filled to the brim with fiery tastes but that’s absolutely not the case.
There are chutneys and pickles made with the Naga chillies which spice up an otherwise bland cuisine. Their primary food is starchy rice which is pretty clumpy; and this is eaten with either some variety of animal protein, garden fresh veggies or curries made with beans and leafy greens.
For those who prefer their meat white, you might still have to search a bit for chicken or fish since red meat is what is the popular choice there.
From tea made from roselle flowers to tree worms which are supposed to be an umami delicacy as well as an acquired taste, the Naga peoples’ plates feature a lot of things which by turn take us by surprise and also bring about a sense of familiarity.
Recommendations for stuff to eat when in Nagaland have to include their bamboo shoot pickle, blanched greens with chilly chutney for company and their boiled pumpkin with a sprinkling of salt.
The real jewel in the crown however, are their utterly delicious and juicy pineapples which will knock your socks off! They are usually sold all along the roads and are served up with salt and chilly powder or finely chopped green Naga chilly. It’s a *Do Not Miss* kind of food even if you’ve eaten plenty of pineapples earlier.
Here’s a look at some of the sights from the Naga markets and other eateries:
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There has always been music around me as far back as I can recall. Mum is one of those people who hums and sings while she potters around the house and while I’m profoundly grateful that my father doesn’t, he enjoys having music around him even more than she does. We had a record player while I was growing up and the radio, then CDs were regulars in my home.
Red and I listen to music as well; it’s just one of those things I found people gravitate towards…you end up with people with similar tastes- they read, they like music et al. We used to listen to music while rushing for work before TO came along and after trying (unsuccessfully) to put him to sleep to CCR, we decided that music would always be a part of our family. We plan playlists before doing our road, plane and train trips and have songs culled out for those slightly longer commutes as well.
While I’ve been doing the school run whenever I drive the not short distance to his school and back, I listen my heart out and can often be found singing along or head-bopping when I’m on the road.
This is the song which has been on loop for the past few days and it’s deeply embedded in my head but not like an earworm at all. It’s soothing, it’s nostalgia-inducing and brings back quite a lot of visual memories but then again, we all react to music differently.
See what it brings out in you. Sharing both links here the original by the incomparable Gheorghe Zamfir and the more recent rendition by Leo Rojas
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I was looking at a picture of a tardigrade because ever since the Octonauts educated TO about them, he returned the favor by educating me and I have never got over how tiny and cute the “water bears” are.
TO is still very light on his feet and can creep up almost noiselessly (unless he’s running towards food or screen time) and that’s what he did when he startled me by announcing in my ear that if I wanted to see things cute things, maybe I should look at those dogs which look like brains! In case a major wtf moment is upon you, don’t fret…just say hello to the Shar Pei!
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