It wouldn't be wrong if I say Northeast is the untouched heaven of India, the remote and green villages in the hills and forests make northeast a beautiful place. As you go deeper into the northeast, you realize why it is so special and different from the rest of India. Here are 5 such villages that show the beauty of hidden India.
1. Kongthong, Meghalaya
Kongthong is a quaint little village nestled in the lush green forests of Meghalaya. It is located far away from the hustle bustle of the urban lands and the path leading to the village itself is truly beautiful.
Kongthong is also called as 'The whistling village of India' because here people are addressed by whistles and not names. Whenever a new child is born in this village the mother forms a unique tune which is later addressed by everyone throughout the kid's life. The population of this village is 650 currently and there are 650 unique tunes. The people of this village also formed a tune for our PM Narendra Modi recently.
The village is situated on a hill and is beautifully maintained by the villagers as well with greenery everywhere and one can see colorful flowers everywhere. Kongthong was also nominated for UNWTO’s (The World Tourism Organization) "Best Tourism Villages" award along with two other villages in the country.
2. Khonoma, Nagaland
Khonoma is a village that lives in the future and the people here are filled with highly progressive thoughts when it comes to preservation of nature. This mindset helped them achieve the tag 'Asia's first green village'. Khonoma is surrounded by forest on all sides which is home to a few wild animals. The rice terraces of Khonoma look as spectacular as the rice terraces from Vietnam or Bali.
Khonoma also has a very rich history, in the mid 19th century people of Khonoma fought hard with the British and remained undefeated which led to the British initiating a peace treat with the people of Khonoma.
Nagaland is home to 16 tribes and Khonoma is habituated by the Angami tribe, the people of this village used to hunt animals and cut down trees extensively few years ago and one fine day they realized this could only harm their lives if it continues and decided to decrease deforestation and animal hunting and instead make sure they plant more trees in order to preserve mother nature which brought an absolute revolution in the region and they stand as the Asia's first green village today.
3. Mawlynnong, Meghalaya
Another gem from the Northeast which is pretty popular among the travelers now, Mawlynnong, touted to be Asia's cleanest village. As you take a stroll around the village you'll be surprised to see the way this village is maintained. The village boasts of being plastic free and that is the biggest contributor in achieving the cleanliness.
Each home of this village looks beautiful and the frontyards and backyards of these houses will leave you awestruck. Mawlynnong has now become the hotspot tourist place thus bringing in the economy for the village in the form of entrance fees which goes directly in to the maintenance and improvements in the village.
Mawlynnong is definitely an example which every village needs to follow and aim to become. It is a proud thing for us Indians that one of our own villages is among the best in the Asia if not the world.
4. Shnongpdeng, Meghalaya
Shnongpdeng is situated on the banks of river Umiam, and offers some of the beautiful views. Dawki is the most famous place for its clean waters but, Shnongpdeng is an offbeat alternative to Dawki. The road that leads to this village is treacherous but trust me the journey is absolutely worth taking.
Shnongpdeng is an adventurer's paradise, there are several activities here such as boating, kayaking, ziplining, camping etc. Boating is the most sought after where you sit relaxed and witness crystal clear waters of the river Umiam. Also, just sitting by the river in the night, gazing at the stars takes you into a different world of tranquility.
5. Longwa, Nagaland
Longwa is one of the most unique places in the world, this place till date is ruled by a King and the people of the village still follow their King. But that's not it, the house of the King or locally called Angh is located right on the border of India and Myanmar, half of the house is in India while the other half lies in Myanmar.
Longwa is also known for living headhunters, headhunting was practiced in this region years ago but not in practice anymore, there are a couple of headhunters who are still alive at Longwa.
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