Wapangla Imchen
“Our happiest moments as tourists always seem to come when we stumble upon one thing while in pursuit of something else”
(Lawrence Block)
No place has ever touched my soul as much as this quaint little village which is just two hour’s drive from Kohima. For quite some time, I had learnt about Dzüleke and its unique rural approach to eco tourism that made it one of my top places to visit. There are times when certain place or people simply get to you good. This experience was one of those times. The laid back environment and the picturesque nature made me and my friends squealed with delight like small children in a park, in our arrival. Maybe, after a grueling and dusty summer in Dimapur, this was the perfect getaway that we all needed to rejuvenate our minds and senses. Nestled among misty mountains, Dzüleke has only 33 households with around 100 inhabitants. It was fascinating for me to learn that there was no mobile connectivity at Dzüleke because this was a challenge for me to experience whether I can overcome my dependency on modern amenities.
I thought I was the only one who assumes this place to be extremely surreal. As one of my companion said “I could not believe that I am at a place like this. I wish I could capture everything and what I feel with my camera.” It is quite appropriate for me to mention that this is one place which naturally brings positivity to one’s state of mind, like it did to me. Standing in the middle of the village was like standing in the middle of happiness. The morning I woke up at this beautiful ‘home-stay’ cottage run by a lovely female graduate named Kevi, I delightfully exclaimed to my roommate, at the serene silence except for the nature tune – birds chirping and the calm sound of the river flowing. Also, walking along the village road early in the morning was another enlightening experience. The almost empty street with wild flowers growing abundantly, the cool air, the mist erupting from the forest mountains with low murmurs from few houses and a 80’s hit song playing softly at a house along the slope brings out the charm of this appealing hamlet. As a foodie, the sumptuous local meals prepared by the villagers are to die for – the organic fresh vegetables, fresh crab chutney and the local chicken curry with their own grown rice. Regrettably, the mountain trout which I was really looking forward to enjoy could not be fulfilled as the fishing season was over.
Though I did not experience the few activities available, Dzüleke is also an ideal destination for trekkers with three types of basic trekking trails which are operated by trained village guides. Additionally, there are also two picnic spots with clear Fresh River and the beautiful landscape as its background. My initial intend for this trip was to experience camping with tents which are available at the village. But, the last of the monsoon rain could not make it possible. Hence, I look forward for my next trip to Dzüleke which will be exclusively for camping above the river by the misty mountains.
