By Shobha Rao Smilemaker
Apr 10: We entered the Khonoma village through one of the eight gates located at strategic entry points. The Naga tribe of this region belong to the Angoma clan and their typical symbolism was sculpted at this entrance gate featuring two 'guarding' eyes, the horns of the local bull like local animal called Meru and the feathers of the local bird called Tragopans, symbolizing abundance.
We climbed up the steps and I admired the amazing flora, fauna, and the terrace cultivation fields for the agriculture based economy of this region. Every corner was like a selfie point, giving us a bird's eye view of the greenery around us.
However these Naga tribesmen witnessed some of the fiercest battles for many years. In the 19th century when our whole country was under the British rule, the hard working youngsters of this region were forcibly taken away at gunpoint by the Britishers to work as bonded labourers. These brave villagers who had never seen a gun before, decided to learn how to use a gun, managed to procure arms secretly and waged a war against the Britiish rule for many decades. In those days they were considered to be a village of experts in guerilla warfare who treated every outsider as an intruder!
We visited the memorial set up for three political administrators of the British rule- Damant, Cock and Nurbir Sahi who had attacked with their troops, yet were killed by the brave locals here in 1879, reminding us about the bravery, resilience and strategic skills of the Angomi warriors in the ancient times. Finally a peace treaty was signed with the Britishers.
Khonoma village was defended at three levels and we saw the fort that was demolished and rebuilt many times.
We walked through the whole of the Khonoma village for an unforgettable morning in the hills. I saw many wreaths placed on graves just outside the homes of the living relatives. This is a rare practice where the living and dead continue to live in close proximity to each other!
We actually went inside the kitchen of one of the homes with me trying to keep the fire burning under the kettle. Whenever i go somewhere new, it is always a pleasure to get a feel of the place by interacting with the local people. We spoke and took pictures with giggly children as we admired their simple homes. I even got a chance to see the paddy being dried and collected in wicker baskets.
In this Khonoma village, i saw many circular platforms with stones placed around for sitting. This is called Dahu where village announcements or community feasts are held. This village has a high literacy rate and nowadays everyone is extra cautious to preserve the greenery, the birds and animals of the area.
Our local guide who is the fifth chairman of the Conservation body proudly narrated some of the efforts made, to keep up the greenery and environmental sustainability of the village. They have succeeded to give access to basic facilities like sanitation, healthcare, and education to the people and in 2005 Khonoma was bestowed the title of the first Green village of Asia!
We smiled and waved at the people returning from the holy mass at the local church. From a war zone to a green zone - i smiled as i realized that the Khonoma village is a true example of how anything is possible once man makes up his mind.
Shobha Rao Smilemaker has a vision of living in a world where people use their ability to find and make smiles in any situation. She is a lawyer by qualification, a soft skills trainer by passion, a motivational speaker, a freelance journalist, a bestselling author, an avid traveler and founder of 'Smilemakers Trainings'. She can be contacted at www.shobhasmilemaker.com.