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It's the month of May, and the monsoons are yet to arrive down the winding roads of the Naga hills. But the views in the far corner of India’s North East are green all year round. I guess the mist and dew ensures it.

I'm in Nagaland, making my way through the low lying evergreen ranges shared by its neighbours Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh and in the east by Myanmar.
Unique and tucked away it may be, but Nagaland has never been entirely isolated from the world around it.

In fact, the people of this region have more than once been swept up by extraordinary changes to their identity and way of life.
Of the many tribal groups of this region, 16 live in present day Nagaland. Still thriving here are age-old customs of kinship, belief and ways of life.

While images of the many tribal people are what come to mind when I first think of Nagaland, I have found that this is just one part of the many bounties of the region…

I start my journey in the northwest region of Kohima district in the town of Khonoma. Most visitors make this their first stop, drawn to its history.
To me the past is not apparent at first glance. All I see around me are green vistas.

But on the hills of Khonoma, a major battle was fought in resistance to British rule. This was the battle of Khonoma - named after this very town.
The British had long had their eyes on the region known for its fertile terraces but little did they know how difficult it would be for them to take Khonoma…

This was the land of the Angamis, a tribe, who both for the Nagas and for India went on to make history...Ready with daos and spears. Angami men met the British soldiers, forcing them to push back not once, twice but five times!

The British came back to finally defeat the Angamis. Today, you'll find a restful memorial in this historic site.

Like me, I see a few fellow travellers taking in the history and valour of the Nagas and snapping pictures against the panoramic views…