By Vivian Longki Rongpi (EMN)
One has to go and witness the beauty of the rocky Japfu peak once in their lifetime. The pleasant feelings you get standing on the peak will never be forgotten. It was a great achievement for me to succeed in scaling the Japfu peak on the 1st of May,2017 along with the local Kigwema village youths and Karbi Prebyterian youths from Karbi Anglong.
The Japfu Peak, elevated at 3048 meters above the sea level, is the second highest peak in Nagaland overlooking Dzukou valley. The greenery spreads across its valleys in all directions. It is such a gratifying experience for everyone who takes up a journey to the peak. The peak is also a splendid vantage point for admiring the heavenly beauty of the Dzukou Valley which is also known as the ‘Valley of Flowers of the East’. The Japfu Peak is located in the Southern Angami dominated area about 13 kms from Kohima city the capital of the State of Nagaland.
It can be a challenging task to climb up Japfu Peak for those who are first timers and others with certain phobias. But on the other hand it is rewarding to witness the gorgeous surroundings even as we climb, and the beauty of nature expunges all phobias and weariness leading us on the journey to attain the calm and peace of mind.
We were led on a trekking expedition by the youths of Kigwema Baptist Church, Kohima, initiated by local pastor Rev. Zhavi Kere. We started our long and extravagant trekking in the wee hours around 3 a.m. After trekking for about 5 hours, we reached the main peak around 8 to 8:30 am in the morning. Upon reaching the slopes of the peak, inhaling the fresh air relieved us of any fatigue, energizing us despite the climb.
On our journey, we passed through various grasslands and rocky hillsides and organic potato cultivation fields. We passed through groves of various kinds of trees and wild grasses as tall as able to provide shade for commuters. The wonderful sight and scenery of the place and the serene experience might make one wonder, “it feels like heaven!!”.
There are places where these yellow and brown tinged roots of trees cut across one another, forming a kind of natural steps, providing for and assisting commuters in the climb, making it a little easier to reach the destination. On the other hand, we also came across some scary places on our way, which are not for the faint hearted. Climbing over freezing rocks one has to be self-reliant and determined.
Climbing up Japfu peak in a way mirrored the challenges a person faces in his/her life, climbing through all the obstacles and uneven terrain to reach the destination.
Once we reached the top of Japfu Peak, sitting atop the hill we were just overwhelmed by the sheer beauty and magnificence of the sight in front of us. We witnessed the tranquility of nature, as it displayed the wonders of God’s creation.
Coming back from Japfu peak also brought with it the realisation that there are such wonderful places even here, not far from home, all of which can be more accessible with proper initiatives from the government and the public.
In Karbi Anglong, Singhason peak is the highest peak with an altitude of about 1600 mtrs. It is very good for trekking with rainforests, rivulets, rocky hills full of enchanting sights and sounds. The varieties of fauna include barking deer, pygmy hog, spotted deer, monkeys, langoors and birds of common and rare species including Himalayan Hornbills.
