Mokokchung

This article is about the municipality in Nagaland, India. For its namesake district, see Mokokchung district.
Mokokchung
city
Mokokchung

Location in Nagaland, India

Coordinates: 26°19′N 94°30′E / 26.32°N 94.50°E / 26.32; 94.50Coordinates: 26°19′N 94°30′E / 26.32°N 94.50°E / 26.32; 94.50
Country  India
State Nagaland
District Mokokchung
Elevation 1,325 m (4,347 ft)
Population (2011)[1]
 • Total 35,913
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN 798601
Telephone code 91 (0)369
Vehicle registration NL-02
Website mokokchung.nic.in

Mokokchung (Pron:/ˌməʊkɒkˈtʃʌŋ/) is a town and a municipality in Mokokchung district in the Indian state of Nagaland. It is the district headquarters as well as the main urban hub of Mokokchung district. Mokokchung is the cultural nervecentre of the Ao people and is economically and politically the most important urban centre in northern Nagaland. In fact it is third most important urban hub in all of Nagaland after Dimapur and Kohima. Besides this the Government of Nagaland has also recognised Mokokchung district as 'Land of Pioneers' because this place has produced a great number of luminaries in many fields. The town is made up of 16 wards of which Kumlong, Sangtemla, Alempang and Yimyu are the largest. Mokokchung is particularly noted for its extravagant Christmas, New Year, Moatsu and Tsungremong celebrations. Its tradition of celebrating Christmas and New Year midnight celebrations in the main town square is regarded as one of the unique features of Mokokchung. Historically, Mokokchung was one of the first Naga Hills sites where the Assam Rifles, led by Britishers, established their outposts (then called stockades) in the later part of 19th century. Much of the town initially grew around this post located in the DC Hill. The British administration was then gradually extended eastwards towards the remoter parts of the Naga Hills.

Geography

District map of Nagaland with Mokokchung city

Mokokchung is located at 26°20′N 94°32′E / 26.33°N 94.53°E / 26.33; 94.53.[2] It is located at an elevation of 1325 metres above sea level.

Mokokchung has a mild climate throughout the year. For ten months of the year, maximum temperature hovers in the mid twenties. Mokokchung also witnesses a lot of mist in the rainy months.

Transport

Mokokchung's central location has helped it to be the converging point of maximum number of highways and hence it is better connected to most areas of Nagaland when compared to Kohima and Dimapur. Besides,every village and settlement of the district is well linked to the town by district and community roads.

Major Highways passing through Mokokchung are:

Demographics

As of 2001 India census,[3] the population under Mokokchung Municipal Council (excluding the colonies beyond Sungkomen Ward) had a population of 31,204. The actual population is 41,746 (including Yimyu ward which was incorporated into Mokokchung proper in 2003, i.e. after the last census in 2001). Its metropolitan agglomeration has a population of 60,161. Males constitute 55% of the population and females 45%. Mokokchung has the highest literacy rate in the state with an average literacy rate of 84%, far above the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 84%, and female literacy is 83%. 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.

The population is predominantly Ao, as the town is the heart and the cultural centre of the Aos. The town is redolent with their history and cultural practices.

Sub urbans

Mokokchung, Nagaland

Dimapur and Mokokchung are the only towns in Nagaland with a significant sub urban population. Mokokchung is the hub of Mokokchung Metropolitan Area, a term which refers to the continuous settlements from Alichen in the south, through Mokokchung town up to Amenyong and Khensa in the North West; and from Mokokchung town through Fazl Ali College up to DEF colony in the North East.

The trend of sub urbanization in Mokokchung ( which had started in Western countries in the sixties) started in the eighties with the mushrooming of satellite towns like Yimyu and Marepkong. Today, the urban settlement has spilled outside the historical boundary of Mokokchung town. This trend has speeded up (since the late nineties) so much so that the erstwhile satellite town of Yimyu boomed and spread towards Mokokchung and became conjoined with it. Today it has become a ward of Mokokchung. As a result of this flight to the suburbs, population growth in Mokokchung town (the area under the municipality comprising the fifteen wards) has slowed down while the satellite towns are booming.

Besides, the following villages have been engulfed by the spiralling urban spread of Mokokchung and have acquired urban characteristics. In fact, though not part of the municipality, they have become very much a part of Mokokchung and are confused by many tourists as being localities of the town.

People are now living miles away from the main town in smaller suburbs as well as villages, who drive to work daily to the main town. This phenomenon is in sharp contrast to other towns in Nagaland like Kohima, Wokha and Zunheboto where an overwhelming majority of the population tend to be concentrated in the main town.

Population distribution of the metropolitan area

Place Status Region Population (2001 Census Figures)
Kumlong Urban (i.e. Ward) West 3,804
Kichutip Urban West 1,160
Aongza Urban West 2,361
Yimyu Urban North-West 2,586
Khensa Village North-West 3,914
Amenyong Suburban North-West 632
Alempang Urban North 2,622
Dilong Urban North 1,712
Sangtemla Urban Central 2,721
Arkong Urban Central 2,546
Salangtem Urban Central 2,160
Alongmen Urban Central 2,200
Tongdentsuyong Urban North-East 1,746
Sungkomen Urban North-East 1,645
Chuchuyimpang Village North-East 3,438
DEF & FAC Campus Suburban North-East 924
Majakong Urban East 2,118
Penli Urban East 2,447
Mokokchung Village Village East 3,874
Marepkong Suburban South 1,170
Ungma Village South 7,189
Aolijen Suburban South 826
Alichen Suburban South 4,403
Artang Urban South 1,963
TOTAL 60,161

Religion

Christianity is the predominant religion of Mokokchung, with more than 95% of the population being Baptist. The Aos were the first of the Nagaland peoples to embrace Christianity in the 19th century, and the area is the hub of India's Baptist belt. The revivalist movement that swept the entire state of Nagaland in the 1970s originated in Mokokchung District and Mokokchung was a major centre. Impur, 15 kilometres away, is the centre of the Ao Baptist Arogo Mungdang (Ao Baptist Churches Convention). The main town Baptist church, located at the heart of the town, is one of the largest churches in Asia.

The other religions and faiths practiced in Mokokchung - mainly by immigrant business community from mainland India - are Hinduism, Sikhism and Islam.

Art and culture

Mokokchung is the intellectual and cultural capital of Nagaland. From the late 19th century, through the 20th century and continuing in the present times, the sons and daughters of Mokokchung have excelled and led the state in every field. Mokokchung is the home and venue of "Naga Idol", a talent search contest on the lines of "American Idol". Naga Idol show holds the distinction of having garnered the highest TV viewership and record sales in Nagaland. It official website is http://www.nagaidol.com

Politics

Mokokchung has political importance in Nagaland. Apart from Mokokchung town constituency, parts of the town fall under three other state assembly constituencies—namely, Aonglenden and Mongoya—thus making the town the deciding factor in 3 of 60 assembly seats in the state legislature. Leaders from the town played a major role in brokering a deal with the Government of India at the height of the Indo-Naga conflict in the 1950s, resulting in the formation of Nagaland state as the 16th state of India in 1963.

Over the last two decades, Mokokchung has become a stronghold of the Indian National Congress party which can be partly attributed to the fact that the party was led by S. Chubatoshi Jamir whose constituency was Aonglenden. In the 2003 general Assembly elections, Indian National Congress won Aonglenden, Mongoya and Mokokchung town constituencies while Koridang constituency was won by an Independent candidate.

Notable political leaders:

Sports

Soccer, basketball and cricket are the most popular sports in Mokokchung. The town has two basketball courts, two soccer fields and one cricket field.

Media

The various satellite cable TV network provider also runs local channels of their own.

Education

Universities and Colleges

References

  1. ↑ "Census of India Search details". censusindia.gov.in. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
  2. ↑ Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Mokokchung
  3. ↑ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 2004-06-16. Retrieved 2008-11-01.
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