GS4-2

A Preliminary Investigation of Megalithic Monuments of Lotha Naga of Pyotchu and Moilan Village, Nagaland: One of the Enigmatic Elements Left  Behind by Our Ancestors

Deccan College Post Graduate and Research Institution, India

In most Northeast Indian states, a series of megalithic monuments are found sporadically scattered in various landscapes of towering high hills and plain. These have been a constant subject of research interest over the past several decades. Nagaland, as part of the Northeast with remnants of abundant megalithic monuments, is no exception - and notable megalithic studies have been conducted in different parts of the state over the years, though acknowledging the fact that problem-oriented specific research work is yet to culminate. Nagaland is inhabited by non-identical dialects-speaking communities with unique customs, traditions, values, and ethics. Until fairly recently, these communities are known to have practiced the erection of stone monuments. In the present study, the author conducted a preliminary exploration in the Lotha-speaking villages of Pyotchu and Moilan, Wokha district, Nagaland. The core objective was to develop a better understanding of the megalithic traditions of the Lotha Naga community. Built around informant information, an attempt was made to broadly classify the types of megalithic monuments present in the villages and to understand their social, religious, and economic significance. The investigations are still ongoing, but the outcomes are likely to provide significant new information on the poorly understood Lotha Nagas megalithic monuments. This will hopefully result in more extensive and ambitious future research projects focusing on Lotha community megalithic monuments.