Amidst lush green mountains of Nagaland lies the Tuophema Tourist Village, a remote place which is about 40 km away from Kohima — the nearest town. By Sashwat Deo
This place has 12 beautiful cottages with all the essentials required by tourists. The village is divided into 12 different clans (Khels) and each Naga hut is managed by one clan. All these cottages are funded and maintained by the locals without any government support. The village also hosts Angami festival of purification held by the Angami Nagas called the Sekrenyi festival. That is the time when all the locals gather with their families and celebrate in the village.
The village provides an insight into the Naga ethnicity, their lifestyle and makes people aware of their history. It also tells the importance of preserving ancient cultures. The village also brings forth a variety of Naga cuisines (it’s a real delight if you are keen on exploring local flavours). The community kitchen provides locally-brewed rice beer.
The locals of Tuophema village provides you tours of the village and the nearby places. In the evening, the locals gather and have cultural programmes, which include local dance and music. A recently renovated museum in the village showcases collections of musical instruments, handicrafts, textiles, wood carvings and jewellery.
Getting There
The village is a two-hour drive from Kohima. You can reach the village by booking a taxi from Dimapur Airport, which is a three and a half hour drive. Dimapur airport is well connected by all the major cities like Delhi, Lucknow, Kolkata, and etc.
Best Season
The most favourable time is between November to April. If you want to catch the Angami festival it would be best to go in February end.
P.S – Tuophema was taken under the Nagaland government to promote tourism in the state.
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