Tracing Myths & Mountains

 

Nagaland wasn’t always at the top of my bucket list. Like many, I knew it for its hills and its festivals, but my curiosity was truly ignited by something much older: a fascinating thread connecting this distant land to the ancient epic of the Mahabharata.

We often hear stories of the Pandavas, but the idea that their exile unfolded right here in the Northeast was a pull I couldn't resist.

The Ancient Connection: Bhima, Hidimba, and Dimapur

What resonated with me most deeply was the local connection to Hidimba and Bhima. The Dimasa Kachari people of this region consider themselves descendants of Ghatotkachh.
Yes.the son born of that union.

Walking through Dimapur, our entry point into the state, felt like walking through layers of time. Many believe the city’s name evolved from Hidimbapur, the land of Hidimba. The connection is so strong that even today, Dimasa families in Assam and Nagaland travel all the way to Hidimba’s temple in Manali, honoring her not just as a deity, but as an ancestor.

Knowing that Ghatotkacha is believed to have ruled large parts of this region changed how I looked at the landscape. It wasn’t just nature; it was history.

Beyond the Hornbill Festival

Of course, you can’t talk about Nagaland without mentioning the Hornbill Festival. For the last 25 years, this event has brought the state into the limelight, serving as a massive gathering for the 17 major tribes.

We planned our trip around the festival, but our goal was to go deeper. It is fascinating to realize that while these tribes share the same land, they are incredibly distinct. Each tribe has its own language, customs, and social structures—so much so that often, they cannot understand each other's native tongues. We wanted to look past the festivities and understand their lifestyle, religion, and how they coexist.

A Journey Across the Subcontinent

The journey itself was a reminder of how vast India truly is.

We flew from Mumbai to Guwahati, and then connected to Dimapur. The distance is roughly 3,000 kilometers—a trip comparable to flying from Mumbai to Thailand, Malaysia, or even Oman.

Stepping off the plane, you realize the paradox of our country. We are one nation, one people, sharing the same time zone. Yet, standing in Nagaland, the culture, the faces, and the terrain feel remarkably different from the India I know in the West. It feels like a different world, yet it is ours.

First Stop: Dzuleke 

Our exploration began in earnest as we left Dimapur for Dzuleke. 

Known as  one of the oldest settlements in the region, most beautiful, with a history spanning over 600 years. But that is a story for the next post...

By the way..

Have you ever traveled to a place in your own country that felt like a completely different world?