Wokha is a town and

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

in the Indian state of

Nagaland Nagaland () is a States and union territories of India, state in the northeast India, north-eastern region of India. It is bordered by the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh to the north, Assam to the west, Manipur to the south, and the Naga Sel ...

. It is the headquarters of Wokha District and is located about 75 km north of the state capital, Kohima. Wokha literally means ''head count'' or ''census'' in the Lotha language. It has a population of 35,004 and is predominantly inhabited by the

Lotha Naga Lotha Nagas, also known as Kyongs, are a major Naga ethnic group native to Wokha District in the Northeast Indian state of Nagaland. Origins Scholars have presented several theories about the migration of the Lothas and the other Naga peo ...

History

Wokha was made as the district headquarters of the Naga hills under Assam by the British in 1876. By 1878, the headquarters was shifted to Kohima, but Wokha remained a subdivision. Later in 1889, the subdivision was shifted to Mokokchung. After India's independence, Wokha became a sub division in 1957 under Naga Hills Tuensang Area, and remained so till she became a district in 1973.

Geography and climate

Wokha is located at at an average elevation of 1,313 metres (4,793 feet). It has a warm temperate climate (classified as Cwa by Köppen and Geiger). The summer temperature of Wokha ranges from 16.1 °C to 32 °C. The winter temperature reaches a minimum of 2 °C. The average annual temperature in Wokha is 17.8 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1940 mm.

Demographics

Wokha is the third largest town in Nagaland after Dimapur and Kohima. According to the 2011 census, the population is 35,004. Wokha has an average literacy rate of 96%; male literacy is 97%, while female literacy is 95%. In Wokha, 10.57% of the population is under 6 years of age. The majority of the population is

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

(at 92%), with notable minorities following

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...

(5%) and

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

(2%). Lotha (also

native language A first language (L1), native language, native tongue, or mother tongue is the first language a person has been exposed to from birth or within the critical period hypothesis, critical period. In some countries, the term ''native language'' ...

of the region) is the most widely used language, while Nagamese and English are also spoken.

Tourism

Wokha's agglomeration consists of Wokha town, Longsa village, Wokha village and Vakhosung. Wokha is on the main route from Kohima to Mokokchung and was one of the earliest locations of the Assam Rifles. The Government of Nagaland constructed a tourist lodge in Wokha Town. The annual Amur falcon migration passes Doyang Dam, which is a 2-hour drive away. It also hosts the oldest cricket tournament in North East India, The Winter Cricket Challenge.

Transportation

The nearest railhead is Furkating Railway Station in Golaghat, Assam, and the nearest airport is Dimapur Airport ( IATA: DMU, ICAO: VEMR). Taxis and buses are available from every district headquarters in Nagaland to Wokha. There is a helicopter service from Dimapur.

Myths

Mount Tiyi is a hill which has

supernatural Supernatural phenomena or entities are those beyond the Scientific law, laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin 'above, beyond, outside of' + 'nature'. Although the corollary term "nature" has had multiple meanin ...

legends associated with it. Most Nagas believe that this mountain is the abode of departed souls. According to local Lotha folklore, the mountain had an orchard that could only be found by the 'lucky ones.' Rhododendrons are common on Mount Tiyi.

References

External links

*{{Commonscat inline Cities and towns in Wokha district