Angami Nagas during a festival

Tuophema tourist village (near Kohima), May 21: The Tuophema village was named after a wild flower — erithrina (hutuophema in Angami) — in the hope that its inhabitants will triumph over their adversaries.

Though it is not known if it ever succeeded in doing so, 700 years after it was founded (in 1431), this pretty-as-a-picture Angami Naga village turned over a new leaf that set it apart from the other hamlets. In 1998, it formed a tourist hub, drawing tourists mostly from abroad.

While Tuophema village sits pretty on the green slopes, the tourist village is perched on top while the vast expanse of the exquisite beauty of the hills opens up on the other side. Only a two-hour drive from the state capital Kohima, the hub is a far cry from the concept that is Nagaland — economically backward and militant-infested.

“The tourist village has 12 cottages with the exterior carefully designed to look like a typical Angami hut made from bamboo,” said Kevi Kensie, the caretaker of the village. In fact, the whole set-up showcases the richness and glory of a majestic past with glimpses of romance, art and chivalry. The interior is done up in traditional style and has attached bathrooms.

“We have a modern dining hall and a traditional Naga kitchen,” Kensie said. The menu offers Indian, Continental as well as local cuisine — ghalo (pork with bamboo shoot), chutneys, fish baked in bamboo and local rice beer to wash the food down with.

There is also a community hall on the terrace for staging shows. The museum displays valuable relics while the souvenir shop is stocked with textiles and handicrafts.

The village authorities charge a small additional fee for sightseeing trips, rock-climbing and trekking expeditions.

“We have tied up with a British tour operator to draw foreign tourists,” Kensie told The Telegraph. Though the response has been overwhelming, a lot more needs to be done, he added.

Clearly impressed, Rishi Sinha, TV producer at Asia-Pacific Communication Associates, who recently visited the village, said: “This place, which is still preserving the traditional ambience of a Naga village, is ideal for a summer break.”