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Kohima

Travelling in “unreserved” in an Indian train… from Kohima to Guwahati

They can say yes, there are reserved seats on the train… they can even sell tickets where the number of the coach and our seat are clearly written… but no! No! On the train from 12.31 pm (number 05968, Dibrugarh – Rangiya Special) from Dimapur to Guwahati, there are no reserved seats. It is an “unreserved” train. In other words: it is a hand-to-hand fighting to get into an already full of carriages, where luggage, elbows, and knees are the weapons for this “war.”

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Train trip Dimapur-Guwahati in unreserved coach
Train trip Dimapur-Guwahati in unreserved coach

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Despite this journey between Dimapur and Guwahati have coincided with regional elections of Assam state, where part of the coaches were reserved for the army, reducing the number of seats for passengers, the fact that this train doesn’t have reserved seats seems to be part of normal service. Both station staff as the passengers knows that. I was even gently warned by one of the railway station staff with the simple words “you need to rush to the train“… I found it strange because there were more than two hours for the arriving of the train… “rush“?!?!… for what??! I thought… but this was a polite way of saying “fight“!!!

With a big effort and with the aid of a helpful passenger, I could get on the train and find room for my backpack. And then followed an arduous journey of more than five and a half hours in a crowded train, standing and without much change to get a seat.

As if all this were not already too painful, joins the climate of Assam plains that in April is hot and dry, and where each time the train stops, the air inside the coach stagnate, making it look like we were in a kind of oven. The passengers patiently waiting for the train to start move, with a kind of helpless surrender, to bring some fresh air through the windows.

Slowly a thin layer of dust discreetly glues to the skin with the help of sweat, which slowly soak clothes and leave a shiny glow on the face.

Hopefully, at the end of the trip I managed to share a bench of two seats with two other passengers… and with a little good will there also a bit of space to fit a child… thankfully most of the passengers are slim, and the sharing of these adversities strengthens the feeling of mutual aid.

By the middle of the train corridor, totally crowded with people and luggage, food vendors persistently circulate among passengers carrying food and drinks: samosas, water, cookies, lassi, sodas, ice cream, peanuts and the refreshing cucumber, cut into slices and seasoned with chili. It is an incessant movement of vendors, loudly advertising their products, opening passage by pushing and stepping between the standing passengers, creating a constant stirring and leaving no opportunity to have some comfort in this painful journey.

By the window pass images of rice paddies and of dry fields waiting for rain, where the intensity of light invites you to close the eyes.

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Dimapur
Dimapur

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How to go from Kohima to Dimapur:

Kohima bus terminal is conveniently located in the center of the city and is where the NST (Nagaland State Transport) buses stop, connection with the most important Nagaland cities.

Strangely there is no fixed schedule for the beginning of the trip and according to information of the ticket counter, the bus to Dimapur only start when is full. So you need to arrive around 7 a.m., buy the ticket and wait because this is the only bus to Dimapur during all day.

Although not completely full, the trip began, around 7:20 a.m, with about 2/3 of the passengers. Buses of NST are in a very poor condition, dirty and with some broken seats, especially those that made the shortest routes, as Kohima-Dimapur.

  • Bus Kohima to Dimapur: 120 rupees (3 hours)

Right next to the bus station there’s a taxis stand, easily identifiable by the concentration of yellow vehicles. The journey by shared taxi costs 220 rupees and takes 2.5 hours. Taxis have no fixed schedule and leave as soon as they are full (which in the morning does not take long), running from 6 am until the end of the day.

The road between Kohima and Dimapur is mainly mountains, with the last third of the route already being done in the plains of Assam. The road has good pavement but with some sections under construction, resulting in a long and bumpy journey.

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inside of a NST bus_Nagaland State Transport
inside of a NST bus_Nagaland State Transport

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How to go from Dimapur to Guwahati:

In fact, for those who want to skip one night in the dull Dimapur, and intends to follow directly from Kohima to Guwahati, there are interesting options.

According to the schedule of the Indian Railways, the train 05968, despite having no coaches with air conditioning or “sleeper class” has reserved seats in 2nd class. So the travel agencies in Kohima sold tickets for this train, with seat number and coach number, clearly inscribed on a ticket issued electronically and printed on paper.These intermediaries, are apparently work honestly, using the ticket sales service of Indian Railways. But when the train arrives at the station it’s clear that the 05968 is a unreserved train, as we see everyone running to get on the train, carrying luggage and children in the arms, making almost impossible the exit of the passengers that want to get out.

Buses are not an attractive option for the 250 km separating Dimapur from Guwahati, and probably start early morning from Dimapur, forcing to spend one night there.

There are trains from Dimapur to Guwahati, departing after 16 p.m. but reach Guwahati close to 10 p.m. which can be too late to find accommodation, especially for those who arrive in Guwahati for the first time and have a limited budget.

Not all trains run daily. More information about trains Dimapur – Guwahati:

//indiarailinfo.com/search/685/0/546?date=0&dd=0&ad=0&co=0&tt=0&ed=0&dp=&ea=0&ap=&loco=&drev=0&arev=0&trev=0&rake=&rsa=0&idf=0&idt=0&dhf=0&dmf=0&dht=0&dmt=0&ahf=0&amf=0&aht=0&amt=0&nhf=-1&nht=-1&ttf=0&ttt=0&dstf=0&dstt=0&spdf=0&spdt=0&zone=0&pantry=0&stptype=undefined&raketype=0&cu=undefined&trn=0&q=

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Dimapur: NST bus terminal
Dimapur: NST bus terminal

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Dimapur:

  • At Dimapur the railway station is located very close to the bus terminal of the NST, less than 2 minutes walk.
  • At the train station, there is luggage room where you can leave your luggage while waiting for the train. The process is bureaucratic and requires the passport and detailed form fill by the station staff. The “luggage room” is on the same site of “parcel office”. It is mandatory to have a lock, even a backpack with multiple compartments and zippers… but just a padlock, play a symbolic role! Rs 20 per day per bag.
  • Dimapur Train station also has a “Retiring Room“, which serves as accommodation for ticket holders. I didn’t check the conditions, but it may be useful to those arriving later night and do not want to waste time looking for accommodation in Dimapur.
Dimapur: Train station Retiring room fees
Dimapur: Train station Retiring room fees

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Dimapur: Train Station: luggage Room
Dimapur: Train Station: luggage Room

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  • For a quick bite recommend the restaurant located beside the main entrance of Dimapur Train Station: Hotel Dimapur Shan-e-Punjab… for me that was missing the traditional Indian food, the dal with chapati was delicious. Besides the food this place as conditions to relax for an hour or two.
  • If you want a little more comfort, at the northern end of the passenger platform of Dimapur Train Station (for those who enter on the right), is a restaurant of Indian Railways with air conditioning.

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Dimapur: Hotel Dimapur Shan-e-Punjab, em frente à estação de comboios... para quem tem saudades da tradicional comida indiana
Dimapur: Hotel Dimapur Shan-e-Punjab, em frente à estação de comboios… para quem tem saudades da tradicional comida indiana

Kohima and the exotic markets

Mao Market. Kohima
wasp larvae at Mao Market. Kohima

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Kohima definitely stood out by the markets, where the exotic and diverse food supply reflects the originality of Nagaland cuisine that includes a lot of meat, eggs, dried fish, eels, snails, worms, mice, frogs… and wasp larvae, still sold in the hive. Always present is the Naga Chilies, consider the spiciest chili in the world,

Regarding vegetables, these markets show a mix of tropical and mountain products. From the warm plains of Assam come the papaya, and the banana, that here, despite the fruit, is also used the trunk and the flower that are used for cooking. From the cool mountain air arrive the mushrooms and bamboo, eaten in sprouts. There’s also a wide variety of veggies, many of which are totally unknown to the European taste.

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Mao Market. Kohima
Mao Market. Kohima

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Mao Market. Kohima
Mao Market. Kohima

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Mao Market. Kohima
Worms at Mao Market. Kohima

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Kohima is the capital of Nagaland, and as it’s usual in this state of Northeast India, all cities are located in mountain areas, preferably on the top of the hills, stretching by the slopes, along the winding and steep roads, that doesn’t encourage long walks.

Sporadic rain and a constant gray sky paint with dark colours this city of concrete and metal roofs with few attractive features. However, this city can be a good starting point to know the culture of Nagaland tribes and becomes quite popular in terms of tourism during the Hornbill festival, a show of local culture.

Like any trip in Nagaland implies a high level of stress, mental and physical, due to the discomfort and duration of the trip, Kohima showed up as an almost compulsory stop on the route between Mon-Mokokchung-Guwahati.

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Kohima
Naga Market Kohima

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Kohima
Kohima

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With a few interesting to see, where I effortlessly avoided the popular War Cemetery and the State Museum of Kohima, what stood out were the food markets, especially the Mao Market… apparently, there is no relationship between this place and the leader of the Communist Chinese Party. In this market, situated in a small concrete building, are sold food products used in Nagaland cuisine, and that are not so easily found at city shops, such as worms and frogs, that here are sold alive… and in a strong activity to get out from the containers where they are sold.

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Mao Market. Kohima
Mao Market. Kohima

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Market. Kohima
Market. Kohima

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Market. Kohima
Market. Kohima

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But near this small market extends to another market… or better to many other markets, a sequence of buildings, wood constructions covered with metal roof, where along narrow and labyrinthine corridors and stairs, we go from clothes sales to the food area, losing easily the orientation, requiring some persistence to find a way out… and nothing guarantee that it is the same point of entry!

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Market. Kohima
Market. Kohima

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But in this market, going down to darker and less crowded areas we are surprised by a heavy and disgusting smell, a mixture of blood and shit. It is the area where animals are sold and slaughter, and where chickens and ducks waiting for their turn under the yellowish light of the dim lights that illuminate the place, where is notorious the heavy smell of death.

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Market. Kohima
Market. Kohima

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Kohima_fish market_DSC_8927

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How to go to Mao Market:

Near the intersection of Midland Colony, there is a bus stand, where stops the buses that pass close to Mao Market, near the Sokhriezie Junction, in Kohima–Imphal Road. There’s no visible sign on the bus neither a number, but just ask the tickets collector that everyone knows the place; the trip costs 10 rupees and takes about 15 minutes.

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Mao Market. Kohima
Mao Market. Kohima

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Onde dormir em Kohima:

Where to stay in Kohima:

Running away from the anonymous environment and from the desert and creepy hotels, Kohima surprised with the Morung Lodge, found by chance when I was looking for Pine Hotel in Midland Colony. Morung Lodge is a real guest house where you feel the family atmosphere and the comfort provided by an environment with personality.

Morung Lodge

Address: Midland Colony (just after the Hotel Pine).

Contacts: 985 634 3037 (Nino) or 841 481 4214 (Amen)

Email: [email protected]

Wi-fi: 100 rupees/day

Veg dinner: 200 rupies

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Morung Lodge. Kohima
Morung Lodge. Kohima

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Morung Lodge Contacts. Kohima
Morung Lodge Contacts. Kohima

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Where to eat in Kohima:

Being the Nagaland gastronomy heavily dominated by meat, vegetarian meals resume to a monotonous rice, dal and veg curry (locally just called rice) or a Chow Mein, reminding us how close we are from Asia.

Kohima is a good opportunity to try the Naga food with some dedicated restaurants, but where it is impossible to find vegetarian food.

Despite the strong influence of Asian food culture, you can find everywhere Indian snacks such as samosas and puris. At Midland Colony in Kohima, in Mokokchung Road, very close to the Morung Lodge, the small Hotel Taste (no rooms, just food) serves from 6 a.m. delicious samosas, which may be completed with a chai (tea with milk)… too sweet for my taste, but that is a popular choice among the local population as the first meal of the day.

Also in the same area, near the main intersection of Midland Colony (near the Baptist Church), are some restaurants that serve an reasonable rice (rice with vegetable curry and dal) for 80 rupees.

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Transport in Kohima:

The city of Kohima doesn’t show friendly for walks, as the city extends over a large area, along busy and noisy roads without proper infrastructure for pedestrians.

For longer distances, there are small buses that run through the city, the “City Bus“. A trip costs about 10 rupees.

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Kohima
Kohima

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How to go from Kohima to Dimapur:

From the bus terminal of the NST run a bus to Dimapur around 7 a.m, but the departure time is not fixed, and the bus starts only when is full, according to the ticket information. However, my trip began with just 2/3 of the passengers, around 7:20 a.m.

Buses from NST (Nagaland State Transport) are in very poor condition, dirty and with some broken seats, especially those that make the shorter routes, as is the case Kohima-Dimapur.

  • Bus from Kohima to Dimapur: 120 rupees (3 hours)

Right next to the bus station, there’s a taxis stand, easily identifiable by the concentration of yellow vehicles. The trip costs 220 rupees, in shared-taxi, and takes 2.5 hours. Taxis have no fixed schedule and leave as soon as they are full (which in the morning does not take long), running from 6 a.m. until evening. This service doesn’t work during the night

The road between Kohima and Dimapur is mainly on a mountain road, with the last third of the route already being done in the plains of Assam. The road pavement is in good conditions but with sections under construction and others full of bumps that make this 70 km a tiring journey.

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NTC bus schedule from Kohima
NTC bus schedule from Kohima

 

 

elevation: 1444

population: 100.000

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