Author: Kumti

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Nishant Sinha – Founder of ChaloHoppo Shares His Travelling Stories to North East India

Published by Kumti

“To travel is to live” – Hans Christian Anderson Travelling is something that most of us want to experience but not many may be ready for the real adventure. Hence, only a few experience the thrill and the challenges that fall in the travel trails. Today, we introduce you to a wanderlust and his wonders of wanderings.   Meet Nishant Sinha, whose Instagram profile says ‘”I am one of the cliches of our generation who have quit their jobs to travel and live for today” Nishant is a travelling enthusiast and the founder of ChaloHoppo, a travel company that offers tours to the North East region of India. Today, he chats with us about his travel stories, and the people of the region have given him wonderful memories. Hi, Nishant. It is a pleasure to have you on board. You seem to be exploring North East India a lot, looking at your instagram feeds. Would you like to tell us a bit about yourself and your profession? Currently I would call myself a tourism entrepreneur who is focussed on …

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Celebrating Hornbill International Rock Festival 2017 | Dimapur, Nagaland

Published by Kumti

  Hornbill Festival, 2017 has officially wrapped up but the memories of the events, music festival, local food, folks songs and dances etc. still remains fresh! The Hornbill International Music Festival (HIMF) took place at Agri Expo, 4th Mile, Dimapur from 3rd December till 10th December, witnessing one of the most exciting shows organised this year. The rock contest was held from 5th to 8th December amongst a buzzing and bustling crowd. The crowd’s favorite and much deserved Avora Records won the contest and our very own Yellow Beacon from Nagaland won the best band of HIMF, 2017. The 8-day event winded down with an EDM night. Here’s an overview of some of the best moments from the show! The bustling and enthusiastic crowd at the Hornbill International Rock Festival Finale, 2017, Dimapur One of Northeast’s best blues guitarists, Rudy Wallang of  Soulmate band, performing for the crowd at the Blues Night concert on 9th Dec, 2017. Rudy Wallang(left) with his daughters, Andrea(center) and Elaine Wallang(right) enthralling the crowd at the Blues Night concert. Ranchi-based rock band, Highway 69 was one of the crowd’s favourite …

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Unearthing Manipur’s Pristine Beauty at Biisho Village | Travel

Published by Kumti

  Biisho is a beautiful village of the Poumai Nagas in the district of Senapati in Manipur. The village’s soil is known to be very fertile as it sits on the banks of Barak and Darai rivers.  The village is known for its lush valley called Zhophao, which is a vast meadow that serves as a pleasant spot for backpackers to set up tents. The valley serves travelers with a perfect weekend escape to the hills and the rivers. With some pretty unique experiences hidden in its depths, Biisho is more than just a destination to experience waking up to mist ladened mountains. As you enter the village, you will be greeted with excited and beautiful smiles of the locals. On a lazy afternoon, you will mostly find the villagers nonchalantly sipping a hot cup of tea sitting on their porches made of bamboo or by the verandah. A sight that is only but a slight cue of the simple joys of life that the blissful village enjoys. Bissho was once explored by travelers far and few. The village has …

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Land of Mystical Tales, History and Folklore | Longsa Village, Nagaland

Published by Kumti

For the lover of ancient culture, tradition, digger of history and folktales in you! Longsa – a picture postcard village, some 29 kms away from Mokokchung town, is hugely popular for its deep rooted cultures and traditions, shrouded with myths and mysteries, echoing rich poetry of the time millennium folklores. Definitely a place that you need to visit once in your lifetime, if you still miss your grandma’s fantasy stories! Lovely natives, stories of the village and of course, its beauty, are some of the key highlights of this place. It was recognized as a Green village in 2006 and is the only Ao village on the other side of Dikhu river. By any chance, if you happen to be a huge historical buff then this might be the place for you to escape to. Visit the Koralong stone that sits at an altitude of 1521 m above sea level, about two kms away from Longsa village. On a clear morning, you can see the Himalayan mountain ranges from here. A sight to behold. Awatsu is a …

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Of Rustic Delight and Living | Zünheboto in Nagaland

Published by Kumti

Imagine this. A rustic hillside town nestled within lush hills, with views of spectacular sunrises every morning, blue skies and clouds nestled between hills all day, and vibrant hues of sunsets to end the evening. Lush green forests, freshwater streams and rivers in almost every direction; sounds like a nature lovers dream come true right? And if you’re someone, looking for such experience, then we just might have the perfect place for you. Let’s take you on a journey to the mighty land of warriors- Zünheboto, which also means “hilltops of Zünhebo”. The name of the town comes from ‘Zünhebo’ flower, which abounds plenty in the area. The town is nestled around some beautiful villages, which offers a treat to your eyes as you get to witness interesting attractions cornered all around. Definitely a place to get you exhilarated and makes you wonder why haven’t you visited this place earlier? But better late than never, right? So, how about a visit to the Ghosu Bird Sanctuary as a startup activity? Here, every dawn break, all …

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Travelling to Wokha and Staying At The Hammock Resort in Nagaland

Published by Kumti

If you’ve ever imagined a place that befits Thomas Hardy’s book, ‘Far from the Madding Crowd’, the Hammock Resort presents you that image with its natural setting! Nestled cozily below the looming mountainous range, capped off by Mt. Tiyi, the resort is an escape from the buzzing beehive of a town, that Wokha is steadily developing into. In the ‘Land of Plenty’, the resort provides an ideal retreat for tourists and locals alike, seeking to connect with nature. Greenery interspersed with rivulets all around, the place is capable of transporting one on a flight of poetry. Besides offering a much greener retreat, the resort offers varied continental cuisines along with the popular ‘bamboo shoot’ dishes that Lotha people are well known for. The place is ideal for romantic getaways as well as family picnics. It also caters to adventure lovers as trekking facilities are available at the resort. The ancient Naga Kitchen definitely adds a traditional essence to the place, keeping up with the culture. Walking into the hotel backyard, we encountered a serene environment …

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Travel | Exploring Shilloi Lake: Nagaland’s Limpid Legend

Published by Kumti

The mountainous regions of North East India exude a remarkable harmony with its abundant flora and fauna. With picture-perfect scenery that resembles postcards, these regions are home to indigenous tribes and communities, leaving an indelible impression on all who venture there. The magic of this region is that it steers you out of your comfort zone and offers a beauty so raw and untouched that your adventurous spirit feels at home in these hills and valleys. One such destination is the Shilloi Lake in Nagaland. It is the largest natural lake in the State. About 290 km from the capital town of Kohima, Shilloi Lake is located in the Phek district,and takes about 10-12 hours by road (from Kohima). The water body is surrounded by mountains, a captivating skyline, green scapes, and wildflowers – a picturesque postcard image! Perhaps, that is why it is often considered a traveler’s haven. Legend of Shillo Lake Not only is the place a sight to behold but it speaks of an enchanting folktale that any local will be willing …

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Meet the Owners of Bangkok Cafe Dimapur – a Chat with the Thai Entrepreneurs in Nagaland

Published by Kumti

Meandering through the lovely streets of Nagaland will land you in the most charming cafes. But beautiful interiors and cozy nooks aside, is it just us, or have cafes stopped reinventing their menus of late? Imagine our surprise then when we discovered that ‘Bangkok Cafe’ in Dimapur offers an authentic taste of Thailand – right here in Nagaland! We soon discovered that the cafe owners are from Thailand,  residing in Nagaland. Let’s find out how they landed in Nagaland, and more about what’s on the menu of this famous Thai cafe in Dimapur.   Coming all the way from Thailand, what made you open up a cafe in Nagaland? North eastern Indians are very similar to the Thais in terms of lifestyle and cuisine. Therefore, we intended to expand and share our Thai cultures here in Nagaland and Assam as well. Our next step will be another Bangkok Café & Cuisine in Guwahati, preparations for which are underway. Our first outlet was launched in Dimapur almost four years ago, where we introduced our wedding gown and …

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Come Home to Delicious Cakes and Bakes | Interview with the Founder of Hetika Bakery and Cafe

Published by Kumti

Sometimes you yearn for a place where you can unwind, seek some peace and quiet – away from the hustle and bustle of the city. A place that is comfy, friendly and has the right ambience to relax in. The one place that immediately comes to mind is *Hetika Bakery and Cafe* – tucked away on a quiet corner just off the highway in Dimapur, Nagaland. Meet Vekutholu Vero – Baker and Owner of Hetika Bakery and Cafe, in Dimapur Nagaland, as she talks about her venture with our R&L member, Kumti Hi Veku, this place is such a charming place! So tell us how and when you started Hetika Bakery and Cafe? The cafe was launched in mid of last year (in 2016). The sole reason why I started this cafe is because I felt there aren’t many quality cake shops in Nagaland. We do have a lot of great bakers, but very few outlets where people can just walk into – whenever they have a craving for something nice and sweet. That’s where the whole …

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Meet 21-Year old Co-founder of Cafe Bae, Nagaland | Talikumla Aier

Published by Kumti

Sometimes amid writing tales of ingenious entrepreneurship, we find a gem that rocks our perspectives about life. Today we feature a quaint little cafe at Dimapur called Cafe Bae, whose story is unique because it has both the elements. Cafe Bae’s story begins with a friendship between two little girls in a small Naga town and goes on to stand as a testimony of everything that they achieved as twenty-year-old businesswomen. Meet Talikumla Aier, co-founder of Cafe Bae, as she takes us through her journey as a young entrepreneur at 21. What made you think of owning a cafe business at such a young age? My co-founder, Late Anushri Jain and I had been best friends since Class 6. We grew up together and basically spent most of the time in each other’s company.  As youngsters, we realized that Dimapur didn’t have many spaces where one could hangout without burning a hole through their pockets. And if you manage to find such a spot, it generally doesn’t have the quirky decor that could draw one’s attention.  So, we decided …