Finally decided to complete this post after 4 years in draft mode...
Right from the early years of my schooling, my dad made sure that he takes me, mom and brother on short trips during most of the summer vacations. This way I had got chance to visit some states of India. Staying in humble hotels or with relatives made these vacations simple yet most memorable. But one vacation after me and brother Noel started working was very special. This time our trip was to visit to North east states of India and specifically to Nagaland, where our uncle Fr.Alphonous who is doing his missionary work lived. This vacation was specially planned because our uncle was completing his 50 years as a priest who selflessly served for people all these years.
Right from the early years of my schooling, my dad made sure that he takes me, mom and brother on short trips during most of the summer vacations. This way I had got chance to visit some states of India. Staying in humble hotels or with relatives made these vacations simple yet most memorable. But one vacation after me and brother Noel started working was very special. This time our trip was to visit to North east states of India and specifically to Nagaland, where our uncle Fr.Alphonous who is doing his missionary work lived. This vacation was specially planned because our uncle was completing his 50 years as a priest who selflessly served for people all these years.
My dad who hails from a humble background made sure I and my brother realize importance of spending money carefully. That is why he never took us on plane until we earned it on our own, but didn't hesitate to take my mother on flight whilst he sent us in bus. So this time me and my brother were super excited as this was going to be our first experience in flight.
We started our journey from Bangalore to Delhi and then to Assam through flight. My uncle was waiting eagerly in Guwahati airport, and when I saw Brahmaputra river and my pre paid phone not working I realized that I was indeed in different part of India.
Guwahati is a very simple developing city, people are friendly and were happily guiding tourist people through the lanes. I got an extra glimpse of the city when we took cycle rickshaw for our commute, but felt the pain when I realized that the person has to put so much of hardwork to make his living.
Shillong is a hill station in Meghalaya which is very beautiful, full of greenery and you get amazing view of the city from the top. It was very beautiful to watch the animals grazing grass on the hills and cool breeze crossing our faces. During this journey I tasted authentic dumplings(momos) for the first time.
After two days, we travelled to Kohima which is the capital of Nagaland. Road which leads to Nagaland from Guwahati is extremely beautiful. It's full of mountains, greenery and curvy roads. We saw few land slides which blocks the road frequently during rains, but the situation is much better now compared to earlier years where people had to walk through the roads since clearing of the road would take days. My uncle told how difficult it was for the earlier priests who had to come to educate people here because they had to walk miles to reach their house with suit cases on their shoulders when such land slides occurred. This is the moment where my respect for missionaries increased tremendously.
Houses in Nagaland and Manipur just look like little match boxes built by cutting hills. People are extremely hardworking and try to grow their own crops. Western clothing and accessories are expensive because most of the things are brought from other cities. Another source of income for people of Nagaland is the tourists and by making different kinds of Naga dresses/shawls and selling them. I was surprised to know that specific design in a shawl had unique meaning and I was excited to get a gift from uncle, a shawl which is worn mainly by the graduates. Visit to the well maintained Kohima war cemetery was very emotional to see so many people laying down their lives for wars. Naga heritage village is a informative place where you see how 16 different tribes of Nagaland lived their lives with their unique style of houses.
The most memorable memories of this North East India tour was getting up early by 4:30am since sun rises by then, experiencing hospitality of these people, they are extremely loving, hard working and respectful, to see how missionaries are treated with respect and love, most importantly the kids who look extremely adorable(little rats), visit to the market where people eat different kinds of meat, trying to learn few dance steps of the folk dance etc. Like other parts of the country, even these states have their share of hardships, challenges along with unique cultural background but then life has to go on..like everywhere..
