Tag Archives: India

/ Morungs, khels and logdrums

A skull carved in a support pile of a Naga’s bachelor’s dormitory

/ Through the Door to Dusk

The sun setting in the hills of Nagalim

/ Nagaland

A small yet proud-hearted state of Nagaland lies at the border of India and Myanmar, on the steep slopes of Naga Hills and Patkai Hills. In any other place of the world these hills would have a proud designation of mountains, but here, in the shadow of Himalayas, their 2000 meters look dwarfish…

Nagaland

/ Beyond the Safety Zone

We finally managed to escape from the “Safety Zone” of Imphal. And up to the Myanmar border, we hoped to meet no police nor military troops. Only some villages found on satellite images – no other information, no maps, no reports. Seems like nobody ever ventured into these hills – or kept silent about his explorations.

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/ Nags and Nagas

Pictures from the state of Manipur – with lots of rebels and abundance of military forces, trying to keep them in order.
There are two major groups of people, living in the state – peoople of the plains, Meitei and some others. And the hill tribes – kuki, zo, paite, and several clans of nagas.

Only pictures here. The main entry is only available in Russian, sorry.

The beautiful face of Manipur

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/ Betel

Our last little story on Meghalayans, before we plunge into the dusty clouds of Manipur.

Bethel

This woman also has a talking name, Bethel – and she is to some point a very picture of the whole khasi people.
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/ Khasi – the Magic of Names

A mantis travelling on Roman’s shoulder

We met no more human ashes, nor voodoo dolls on our way to the cave. The mystic cave turned out to be a hole in a limestone sink, about one meter in diameter. The khasi stayed away from the hole, trying to peep into the vertical hole from a distance.

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/ Khasi and the Black Magic

On and on, ever turning and turning, and sliding up and down the hills of Meghalaya, we pedal to the East. Towards the state of Manipur, burning in the flames of a revolt. Behind us, in front of us, side by side with us Tata trucks roar they way from the coal mines, huge, rubbed, all heavily loaded with coal. “Give way, you little nuisances!” they horn to us huskily. When tired of climbing up the hills, Roma and Gleb speed up and clutch at the frame of the nearest truck. Tata usually doesn’t like this, but the driver sticks out of the window, looking back at them, smiling and absolutely nonchalant about the road safety.

Road makers greet our peloton

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/ Tata Trucks

Probably the most creative and cheerful people in India are the long-haul truck drivers. India comes second only to Pakistan in the elaborated beauty and diversity of trucks.

Painted trucks light up the deppressive charcoal drawn scenery

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/ Meghalaya

Some pictures from the state of Meghalaya in the North-East of India – indigenous cultures, archery counters, charcoal landscapes.
In winter dry season it’s really hard to believe this is the wettest place on Earth with average annual rainfall as high as 1200 cm.

Rice Terraces in Meghalaya

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