By Mhabeni Ezung
INTRODUCTION
LAND AND PEOPLE
Nagaland, a part of Assam and North East Frontier Agency (NEFA) in 1947, became the 16th state of India in 1963. Statehood came as a result of political agreement. In this respect Nagaland‟s case is unique and special constitutional protection was also provided under Article 371(A) of the Indian constitution to safeguard the culture, traditions and way of life of the Nagas. One of the smaller hill tribes of India, Nagaland is known for its myriad tribes with their rich culture and tradition. (Nagaland State Human Development Report 2004:14). Each tribe is distinct and unique in character from the others in terms of customs, language and attire.
By whatever name people have called this realm, hidden among the mountains of India‟s Northeast, Nagaland has always evoked a sense of mysticism and awe, intensified by the remoteness of its geographical location. (Directorate of Tourism, 2012:1).One of the seven sisters of the Northeast, the state is situated between the valley of the Brahmaputra river and neighboring Burma (Myanmar). The eastern boundary is marked by the Patkai range; to the west the terrain flattens out into the plains of Assam. To the North lies Tirap, a district of Arunachal Pradesh and Nowgong and Sibsagar of Assam, to the south Manipur. These boundaries enclosed an area of 16,527sq km, most of which are hills and mountains. (Ganguli, 1984:266). It lies between 25˚6‟ and 27˚4‟ Latitude North of Equator and between the Longitudinal lines 93˚20‟ and 95˚15‟E. (Statistical Handbook 2013:2)
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