EVENT: EXHIBITION & MUCH MORE: CELEBRATING 1-NESS, NATIONAL MUSEUM, 01-09 FEBRUARY 2020

Nagaland,You surprised meenthralled meYou left me with no choice,I had to pause to see you,notice you;to feel your painand admire your resilience,to riseas you are the Naga WarriorsStanding firm. Standing strong. United.The Naga villagesNaga life and cultureNaga dance - so many tribes,so many steps and stylesa real workout, dancing together, we freaked out!Love your love songs, Loving each other is also together working, building a life together where both are contributing! The food, the flavours, the freshness, you cook and serve with such love... so humbled, so grateful for every meal with a prayerful heart above! Naga landscape and scenery, so pristine, so primitive The hills, the greens, Made our hearts so happyThe blue skies, the air so clean The highlight was the trek to Dzukou Valley - the beautiful rolling ranch lands, the white fluffy clouds hovering aboveA treat for the adventure enthusiasts, the rock and tree climbing - roots of tree were the path...the trails were sometimes steep and wet due to the morning dew drops. And oh! how the thick forest truly came alive and radiant in deep green shadesWe were motivated to trek through this unusual path, inspiring messages at different points in the forest gave us so much strength,And truly life felt like an adventure so intense! The trek was packed with life lessons, 1. Keep the end in mind, but when you are walking, don't look up but take one step at a time, and before you know you will be at the top... 2. Keep the Joy GPS going, and everything else will fall in place 3. When walking on steep paths, get the grip of one foot first and then place the other - same with life, play on your strengths, and the rest will follow 4. There can be paths that look scary, but with friends by your side, together you are stronger, and fear is not there any longer 5. We see 1-Ness in everyone - we see everyone as a co-traveler and that's what connects us to everybody, can we not see everyone as co-travelers in our lives too.. 6. Keep going - adjust your pace to suit yourself but keep keep going, with company of friends or music or inspiration from nature or whatever you like, but do not stop. Keep going. 7. Find strength in silence and sometimes in collective energy of people and nature around 8. Living in tents, cut-off from the world, but the connection within is intact... Living, breathing, dancing in 1-Ness Coming back from the trek, our friends Ritu and Sunny arranged for us to see the exemplary Light and Sound show on the Battle of Kohima 1944, during the World War II - which happened right here in the same land we were living and breathing. Victory of the British and the Indian Army, failure of the Japanese Operation U-Go. Loss of lives. Death by disease and starvation. Even suicides. There was sadness, but we are in a better world now. It was a treat being invited to the Officers Mess of First Batallion of Assam Rifles and meet officers - Friends of the Hills People - empowering youth and people. This trip was special in every which way, and as Major Vikas said, we are now the ambassadors of this place. The friendships that bloomed, the memories that got created, is the most special gift I received, and will cherish forever. Long Live Naga. Long Live their cheer. Long live our friendship. Year after year. Special thanks to:Maninder, Shamila, Abhishek, Deepika and the Juniper Travel team for such fantastic arrangements made with such love Ritu and Sunny for making the Light and Sound Show happen for usMajor general Vikas Lakhera Captain Avinash Colonel Ganesh Colonel Sati Major Abhishek and his wife Nisha for the fantastic Light & Show on The Kohima Battle, 1944 and for all their hospitality after the show All my friends, each one for being YOU and for showering such love:Abhishek Deepika Latika Lily Malini Maninder Mrinalini Nitya Pallav Ritu Rochelle Sanjay Sanjeev Saumya Shamila Shivani Sunny And all the friendly Naga People! You are all amazing! With love,Anika ... See MoreSee Less