Moa Jamir
Dimapur | August 18
With the desire to let Nagas living in urban areas like Dimapur and Kohima to see the interiors through their experiences, the Nagaland Motorcycles Club (NMC), Kohima unit conducted its 1st Monsoon Expedition from August 12-14.
Covering nearly 500 Kilometers for some participants, the expedition kicked off early morning from Kohima on August 12 - their itinerary reads Kohima-Jharnapani-Jalukie-Peren Town-Tesen-Tening Town-Barak River-Tamei-Tamenglong-Senapati-Mao Gate- Kohima.
The Morung Express joined the riders in Jharnapani, consisting of 9 bikers and 6 others on two Back-Up Vehicles, including members from NMC Dimapur Unit and Nagaland Adventure Club. Two riders turned back from Peren Town due to bad health.
It was not a leisure trip. The riders comprised of various individuals from different walk of life. Among others, it included an aspirant pugilist, a social activist, a VDB Secretary, professional photo/videographers, as well as those running their own workshops and businesses; and two academic doctors.
“Our monsoon expedition is not political, social or charitable in nature,” a NMA member said adding that the idea is to record the trip visually and document it can be released on local cable TV and in print media.
While highlighting the ground realities, it will also indirectly encourage adventure road trips and promote tourism prospects of Nagaland and Naga areas, he added.
“Road trips are always on my to-do list. It gives me a firsthand experience of people and places which in turn make me understand things better about society, culture, politics, economics and nature,” said Peter Rutsa, an adventurer and social activist.
Burakum, NAC Secretary said he joined the trip in his quest to discover new places saying, “It’s always a thrill getting to go to new places and getting to know new things around us.”
The trip was not an easy task as the road arteries were simply blocked after Peren Town. Along with bad roads, other amenities like telecom-networks and electricity become sporadic.
However, hospitality exists everywhere. On their first pit-stop at Tening Town on August 12, the riders were hosted by a prominent town citizen, providing both dinner and lodging for the night as well as breakfast the next day.
Thereafter, they journeyed towards the border side passing different villages along the way. Devoid of other amenities, one could observe that cleanliness initiatives were being implemented in a big way with big dustbins adorning most of the villages.
When the riders reached Ntu, the last village bordering Manipur on midday of August 13, they were advised against going further due to bad road. The stretch was the most challenging in the trip.
Reaching the bordering Barrack valley after nearly two hours, they stop for their lunch before their onward journey to Manipur side.
The road were much better on the other side and without much trouble, the reached Tamei, the last subdivision on Tamenglong District Manipur bordering Nagaland, where they halted for the day.
On August 14, they travelled towards Senapati, from where the riders returned to Kohima via Mao-Gate.
Sharing his experience, Rutsa maintained that if things continue under the current political decay, “people in the frontier areas will take another half a century to reach just the level of what pathetic infrastructure even we the urban Nagas are having.”
Towards this end, he called for fairness in our social and political lives, and magnanimity of heart amongst Naga tribes. “Equal opportunity to development and the goodwill should be implemented in both economics and socio-cultural aspects.”
The road conditions and proper infrastructure should be looked into most urgently, Burakum added.
