10 Fun facts about Kohima, Nagaland

Kohima is the hilly capital city of India’s northeastern state of Nagaland. With a resident population of 99,039; it is the second-largest city in the state.

1. Kohima Sunset:

If you are staying in the city, one can enjoy the sunset at 4 pm.

2. Steep Slopes:

While visiting the local village of Kohima, remember that all slopes are steep. Make sure you wear proper shoes and take care while walking around.

3. Weather:

Kohima lies north of the Japfü Barail intersection. Due to its elevation, it features a more moderate version of a humid subtropical climate. The city has cool winters and hot rainy summers. The coldest months are from December to February, when frost occurs and in the higher altitudes snowfall occurs occasionally. During the height of summers, from June–August, temperature ranges an average of 27–32 °C. Heavy rainfall occurs during summer as well.

4. Population:

The city’s population is composed of the 16 tribes of Nagaland. The population of the Angamis and Aos are the largest in the present-day Kohima urban area.

5. Religion:

The major religion in Kohima is Christianity which is practised by 80.22% of the population. Other religions include Hindu (16.09%), Muslim (3.06%) and Buddhist (0.45%).

6. Festival:

The Hornbill Festival was first initiated and proposed as winter carnival in 2000 by BASN (Beauty and Aesthetics Society of Nagaland) before it was taken over by the Government of Nagaland who launched it in December 2000 as Hornbill Festival to encourage intertribal interaction and to promote the cultural heritage of the state. Organised by the State Tourism and Art and Culture Departments, Hornbill Festival showcases cultural displays under one roof. The festival takes place between the 1st and the 10th of December every year.

7. Battle

Soldiers died by the dozens, by the hundreds and then by the thousands in a battle here 70 years ago. Two bloody weeks of fighting came down to just a few yards across an asphalt tennis court.

8. Transportation:

The nearest airport is Dimapur Airport at Dimapur about 74 kilometres away. Kohima is connected by road with National Highways 2 and 29 passing through the city. Kohima is not connected with the rail network. The nearest railway station is at Dimapur. An extension of the railway line from Dimapur to Kohima was proposed and surveyed in 2009. Due to a dispute over land acquisition, the track was resurveyed and an alternative alignment was proposed in 2013 and is expected to be completed by 2020