Morung Express News
Kohima | October 14
Overgrown hedges, crumbled morungs, litters of all kinds from fast-food packages to water bottles and human excreta – is the first sight of Kisama Heritage village that greets the visitor. Although, the much hyped Naga Heritage Complex, commonly known as Kisama, is a not tourists’ favorite haunt at this time of the year, it has become a hot spot for local revelers, picnickers, carousers, and above all young “lovers”.
“On weekdays, visitors are less, but on weekends it is always crowded”, said Naro, who runs a small shop at the Complex. But what desists the prospective habitué’, especially, the tourist from outside the state, is the lack of maintenance, she rued.
‘Is this Kisama all about? tourist often wonder in dismay, Naro recounted. She also said that the local visitors are indisciplined and unhygienic as they tend to be care-less about the cleanliness and beauty of the site. “It is high time visitors keep such places clean by themselves”, she said.
With nothing left to watch, play or relish upon, unlike during the seven days gala hornbill festival in December, visitors have to content themselves with the tranquil ambience the site offers. Overlooked by tall saturnine hills, with dissipated morungs, and overgrown hedges at the base, as desolate and dismal as a mere jungle spot, this Naga Heritage site offers no special attraction for tourists at this time of the year.
Kisama was constructed in 2003, when the present DAN came to power, with the aim of attracting foreign and domestic tourists by showcasing rich Naga traditions- cuisine, attires, dances, songs during the state Hornbill Festival, which was earlier celebrated at the Local ground.
Every year, the state government spends a whooping Rs 36 lakhs from its coffer to organize this annual Hornbill Festival. In return the tourism department also gets a fair amount from taxes levied on stalls, pavilions, vehicle parking, entry pass and others. Though this returns have never been made transparent.
But, sadly after the Hornbill festivity, this heritage is usually forsaken, left to rot at the mercy of weather.
As the toilets are always kept locked, visitors have no other choice but are often constrained to respond nature’s call in the nook and corners, or among the hedge and grasses making the site appear even more filthy.
The tourism department has appointed five persons as caretakers, but these people are never seen around, except on rare VIP visits, said Chalezo, who now acts as caretaker. He collects Rs 5 per visitor to meet the maintenance expenses.
Chalezo also said that he had planted about five thousand Rhododendrons, and an equal number of Poinsettias to beautify the place, but the department never remunerated him for the work, though it was promised to him.
Adding problem to the dismal conditions is that the water supply has been stopped by the villagers from the source since two months back, source said. The villagers are demanding for jobs from the department, which is a common thing in Nagaland.
Thieves also appear to be having a hey day at the site, as the light bulbs, switch boards, wiring and other construction materials were left un-spared from pilfering. What is abominable is that earlier, the Science and Technology department had installed solar lightings, understandably at a great cost, but these were pillaged off within a month of installation.
But the state government, inspite of these odds, doesn’t appear to have given up. Seven thousand capacity galleries, children’s park, Horticulture Park and museum are under construction, although a slow pace. This, at least proffers a sign of hope on the future of this Heritage Complex.
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