Kohima facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kohima Kewhira
Capital city and municipality
City of Kohima
From top (left to right): Kohima skyline with Kohima Village on top; Kohima street; PHQ Junction; Aradurah Hill
Motto(s):  "Work is Pride"
Kohima Location in Nagaland Show map of Nagaland Kohima Location in India Show map of India
Country	India
Region	Northeast India
State	Nagaland
District	Kohima District
Divisions	19 municipal wards
Government
• Type	Municipality
• Body	Kohima Municipal Council
Area
• Total	20 km2 (8 sq mi)
Elevation	1,444 m (4,738 ft)
Population  (2011)
• Total	115,283
• Density	5,800/km2 (15,000/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Kohimian kewhi–mia
Languages
• Official	English
• Major languages	Angami • Ao • Chakhesang • Lotha • Sümi
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	797001
Telephone code	91 (0)370
Vehicle registration	NL-01
Sex ratio	927 ♂/♀
Climate	Temperate (Köppen)

Kohima (ⁱ/koʊˈhiːmə/; Angami Naga: Kewhira (IPA: [ˈkɛʍɪɻə])) is the capital of the North East Indian state of Nagaland. With a resident population of almost 100,000, it is the second largest city in the state. Kohima constitutes both a district and a municipality. The municipality covers 20 km² (7.7 sq mi). The city lies on the foothills of Japfü section of the Barail Range located south of the District (25°40′N 94°07′E / 25.67°N 94.12°E / 25.67; 94.12) and has an average elevation of 1,261 m (4,137 ft).

Originally known as Kewhira, Kohima's history goes back to a time when it was a village of the Angami Nagas. It became an urban centre in 1878 when the British Empire established its headquarters of the then Naga Hills District of Assam Province. It officially became the capital after the state of Nagaland was inaugurated in 1963. Kohima was the site of one of the bloodiest battles of World War II. The battle is often referred to as the Stalingrad of the East. In 2013, the British National Army Museum voted the Battle of Kohima to be Britain's Greatest Battle.

Etymology

Kohima was originally known as Kewhi–ra. People from different places and directions came in search of a place to settle down and formed a homogenous group that necessitated the establishment of a village. They named it Kewhira which is derived from the Angami word kephfükewhi which means to "meet and assemble together" and ra means "village" with its area jurisdiction. The people of Kewhira are called Kewhimia (mia means people) who are the indigenous inhabitants and hereditarily owned the land of Kewhira.

History

Medieval era

According to oral history, the historical founder of Kewhira Village was Tsiera (stone defender). The village is said to be more than 700 years old and is believed to be the second largest village in Asia. The village is divided into four large clans (thinuo): Tsütuonuomia, Lhisemia, Dapfhütsumia and Pfüchatsumia (T, L, D, and P Khel respectively).

Colonial era

The East India Company Administration started to expand into Kohima beginning the 1840s.

Battle of Kohima

The mined tennis court and terraces of the District Commissioner's bungalow in Kohima

In 1944 during the Second World War the Battle of Kohima along with the simultaneous Battle of Imphal was the turning point in the Burma Campaign. For the first time in South-East Asia, the Japanese lost the initiative to the Allies, which the Allies then retained until the end of the war. This hand-to-hand battle and slaughter prevented the Japanese Army from gaining a base from which they might have easily gone into the plains of India.

Kohima War Cemetery

Kohima has a large cemetery known as the Kohima War Cemetery for the Allied war dead; it is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. The cemetery lies on the slopes of Garrison Hill, in what was once the Deputy Commissioner's tennis court, which was the scene of intense fighting known as the Battle of the Tennis Court. The epitaph carved on the memorial of the 2nd British Division in the cemetery has become world-famous as the Kohima poem.

When You Go Home, Tell Them of Us and Say,

For Your Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today.

The verse is attributed to John Maxwell Edmonds (1875–1958), and is thought to have been inspired by the epitaph written by Simonides to honour the Greek who fell at the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC.

1963–present

When Nagaland became a full-fledged state on 1 December 1963, Kohima was named as the state capital.

2017 Nagaland protests

On 2 February 2017, the office building of the Kohima Municipal Council was burned down by a mob as part of the boycott of the Civic Elections. The fire significantly damaged adjoining government and private buildings. On 19 February, in response against the backdrop of widespread protests and civil unrest in the state, T. R. Zeliang announced his resignation as the Chief Minister of Nagaland.

2023 Kohima fire

On 27 February 2023, a massive fire broke in Mao Market and NN Market, one of the biggest commercial areas in Kohima, causing complete damage to the markets.

Geography

Topography

Kohima is located at 25°67' North, 94°10' East, in the southern part of Nagaland. It lies north of the Japfü–Barail intersection with Pulie Badze to the southwest overlooking the city.

Climate

The city experiences a subtropical highland climate (Köppen: Cwb), with greater contrast between summer and winter than in other continents due to the monsoons but mild temperatures even for latitude and altitude. The months of June to September concentrate much of the precipitation.

Kohima has been ranked 36th best “National Clean Air City” under (Category 3 population under 3 lakhs cities) in India.

Environment

Water supply and availability

Most Wards in Kohima experiences severe water shortages during the dry seasons. The current water resources from the reservoirs of Zarü River and the streams from the slopes of Pulie Badze do not fulfill the needs of the rapidly growing population of Kohima. With the augmentation of the Zarü River project and several other upcoming water projects to be supplied from Dzüko Valley and others. The water supply is expected to cover more wards.

Administration

The Kohima Municipal Council (KMC) was established in 2005 under India's Constitution (Seventy-Fourth Amendment) Act, 1992. It has waste management, drainage and trade licensing and other responsibilities.

Other departments of the state government, which sit in Kohima, also have a role in the administration of Kohima. The "City Development Plan" for the town, for example, was written by state Urban Development Department.

Wards

Kohima is divided into nineteen sectors with a total of thirty-three administrative wards under the authority of the Kohima Municipal Council, covering an area of about 35 km² (14 sq mi). Each ward has its own council government and handles many of the functions that are handled by city governments in other jurisdictions.

Public safety

Police and law enforcement

The Kohima Police of the Nagaland Police is the police force responsible for maintaining security, law and order in the Kohima Metropolitan Area. It is headed by a Superintendent of Police (SP). Kevithuto Sophie is the current SP of Kohima.

In 2020, the Kohima North Police Station became the first police station and a government facility in the entire North Eastern Region of India to receive the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001 Certification for quality management system.

Demographics

Census data

As of 2011, Kohima had a population of 99,039 of which males and females were 51,626 and 47,413 respectively. Kohima has an average literacy rate of 90.76%, higher than the national average of 76.55%.

Religion

Religion in Kohima City (2011)      Christianity (80.22%)     Hinduism (16.09%)     Islam (3.06%)     Buddhism (0.45%)     Jainism (0.01%)     Sikhism (0.08%)     Others (0.05%)     Not stated (0.04%)

The major religion in Kohima is Christianity which is practised by 80.22% of the population. Other religions includes Hinduism (16.09%), Islam (3.06%) and Buddhism (0.45%).

Economy

Kohima Central

Tourism

Tourism plays an important role in the city's economy. The number of tourists visiting Kohima has been increasing significantly each year.

Cityscape

Historical sites

Kohima War Cemetery

• Kohima War Cemetery

Kohima War Cemetery is a memorial dedicated to soldiers of the 2nd British Division of the Allied Forces who died in the Second World War at Kohima in April 1944. There are 1,420 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War at this cemetery.

Parks

• Sakhrie Park

Sakhrie Park is a recreational park located at Middle Tsiepfü Tsiepfhe Ward (Middle AG) located between the Asian Highway 1 and the Tsiepfü Tsiepfhe Road (AG).

• Sokhriezie Park

Sokhriezie Park is a centrally located lake that sits below the PHQ Junction.

• Kohima Botanical Garden

Kohima Botanical Garden is located at New Ministers' Hill Ward and is looked after by the Nagaland Forest Department.

Culture

Cultural centers

The Kohima Capital Cultural Center is a cultural center which has a multipurpose hall that provides various facilities for its citizens. The Regional Centre of Excellence for Music & Performing Arts (RCEMPA) is a contemporary arts and music centre located in Jotsoma, about 6 km (3.7 mi) west of the city centre.

Events and Festivals

A live worship event at The Heritage

• NAJ Cosfest

The NAJ Cosfest is an Otaku-based cosplay festival held every year in the month of July. The annual event was started in 2013. The cosfest is one of the biggest cosplay festivals in North East India.

• Hornbill Festival

The Hornbill Festival is the biggest annual festival in North East India. The festival is held every year from 1 to 10 December with the purpose to promote the richness of the Naga heritage and traditions. The main venue is located at the Kisama Heritage Village, located 12 km (7.5 mi) south of the city centre.

Fashion

The inhabitants of Kohima have been historically characterized as "fashion-conscious". Numerous fashion stores are located across the city and a number of fashion related events are held annually. The southern wards starting from Main Town and beyond are the most fashionable areas of Kohima.

Museums

The Nagaland State Museum is located in Bayavü Hill and displays a comprehensive collection of artefacts including ancient sculptures, traditional dresses, inscriptions of the Naga people.

Religious sites

Kohima Ao Baptist Church

The Kohima Jain Temple, the oldest Jain temple in North East India was established in 1920.

Media

The most widely circulated newspapers in Kohima are The Morung Express, Nagaland Post, Eastern Mirror, Nagaland Page and the local newspaper Capi. The city was also home to the now defunct Kewhira Dielie, the first modern newspaper published from Nagaland.

State-owned All India Radio has a local station in Kohima, which transmits various programs of mass interest like AIR FM Tragopan, etc.

Transportation

The major public transportation in Kohima are buses and taxis.

Rail

Kohima is not connected with the rail network. The nearest railway stations are the Chümoukedima Shokhüvi Railway Station and the Dimapur Railway Station. An extension of the railway line from Dimapur to Kohima was proposed and surveyed in 2009. Due to a dispute over land acquisition the track was resurveyed and an alternative alignment was proposed in 2013 and is expected to be completed by 2026.

Cycling

Regardless of its hilly terrain, cycling has become an increasingly popular way to get in and around Kohima. A bicycle-sharing system was launched in September 2020.

Education

Sports

Wrestling

The Naga wrestling enjoys widespread popularity in Kohima with people from all over Nagaland coming to witness the Naga Wrestling Championship held every two years at the Khuochiezhie Local Ground located in the heart of Kohima. The first Naga Wrestling Tournament was held in Kohima in 1971.

Notable people

See also

In Spanish: Kohima para niños