People from mainland India and abroad consider Mokokchung to be a great hill town perfect to rekindle with nature. Yes, it is a lovable place but the locals too crave something more scenic and less touristy. Mokokchung is ever-changing—what was once surrounded by trees and wooden houses is now transformed into a concrete jungle. This is the way of life, so we pick out a certain paradise and call it our refuge, and for me, it was Changki Village.

Before and after image of Aongza Ward of Mokokchung from my window

Prior to discovering the village, I had no idea about its hidden gem; I used to only see the main gate to the village every time I travelled from Mokokchung to Guwahati. The junction next to the Changki Village entry gate is often called the X-Junction because the roads open out to four destinations. One leads to Changki, the one opposite the village road leads to Mokokchung. The other two facing each other lead to Chungliyimsen Village and Assam. 

My visit to Changki Village came as a surprise when my uncle who was posted there as the headmaster of a high school invited me over for the weekend. I used to get vertigo on the winding roads but throughout this trip I was overjoyed. My uncle told me exciting things like how I can see Mokokchung from the village. At night, Mokokchung appears to resemble Darjeeling with tiny twinkle lights and soothing weather during the evenings. Changki has one of the best sunsets in Nagaland.