Kohima War Cemetery

4.5

Location: M493+39V, Midland Colony, Kohima, Nagaland 797005, India.

Visiting time: 1-2 hours.

Probably, the only cemetery on earth that sports a tennis court is in Nagaland’s capital, Kohima. Across the continents maintained by the CWGC, the Kohima War Cemetery is one of 23,000 World War graves. Dedicated to soldiers of the 2nd British Division of the Allied Forces, Kohima War Cemetery is a memorial remembering those who died in the Second World War at Kohima. In the center of Kohima city, the Kohima War Cemetery is situated in the capital of the Indian state of Nagaland, forcing the Japanese army to retreat, at the location. This is the location on the ridge below and above the tennis court. The cemetery is on the northern side of the Imphal-Dimapur road and is at a distance of 200 kilometers from the Indo-Burma border. From Calcutta, Delhi, and Guwahati, Kohima is well-connected by air services. The journey from Guwahati is really long and arduous by bus or train.

Attraction

In peaceful surroundings with well-manicured grassland in which roses bloom in season, the cemetery is set. The cemetery provides a panoramic view of the town of Kohima and is sited at the exact location where the battle was fought. By tall, concrete structures engraved with the cross, it is marked at its two ends. A series of terraces of 3–5 meters in height has been created between the two structures, along the sloping ground, these contain stone markers embedded with bronze plaques that carry the name of each Commonwealth soldier who died on the Kohima battlefield. By a whitewash, these markers are made distinctly visible. There are two memorial crosses, one at the lower end and the other at the upper end of the cemetery. The upper-end memorial is being located at the highest end of the cemetery commemorates the names of the Indian and Sikh soldiers who were part of the British Indian Army and died on the battlefield.

History

Beautiful sunlight flooding a white cross and all the grave stones in Kohima War Cemetery, surrounded by trees, during day time, Nagaland, INDIA

The Japanese 15th Army attacked the British troops stationed in Kohima and Imphal in northeast India with the intent to prevent an attack on Burma in March 1944. The Japanese attacked Kohima and Imphal via Mizoram from the Indo-Burma border, to destroy the supply bases of the British, in the first week of April. Stationed at Kohima and also at Imphal, they laid siege on the Allied forces. The Japanese 15th Army occupied a strategic location on Garrison Hill and continually attacked a small contingent of the Commonwealth forces, Reaching Kohima in April 1944, which successfully held their ground until reinforcements were brought in. In the battle at the tennis ground of the Deputy Commissioner’s bungalow which was ruined during the war. On both sides, There were heavy casualties besides, for the Allied forces this battle was the turning point. The British National Army Museum voted the Battle of Imphal and Kohima as “Britain’s Greatest Battle” in the year of 2013.

Inside/Outside Views

Two people in front of the big white cross of Kohima War Cemetery, while other people take photos and admire the cemetery on a sunny day, in Nagaland region, in Seven Sisters of India.

In the tennis court area of the Deputy Commissioner’s residence, the soldiers died on the battleground of Garrison Hill. There are 1,420 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War at this cemetery, and a memorial to an additional 917 Hindu and Sikh soldiers, according to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Field Marshal Sir William Slim, then Commander of the 14th Army in Burma inaugurated the memorial.

Opening Hours

Every day from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm

Entry & Others Fees

The entry fee for this memorial is free.

Near Restaurants

Near Hotels

How to Reach

By Air: In Dimapur, Nagaland, the Nearest airport is located. Having frequent flights from all over the country, The state airport is in Dimapur, however mostly via Kolkata. From Dimapur to Kohima, one needs to cross a journey of approximately 3 hours.

By Rail: From Khonoma, the nearest railway station is in Dimapur. One can board a connecting train from Guwahati to Dimapur, as your train might not be directly going to Dimapur. The rest of the country is well connected to Guwahati.

By Road: Kohima is well-connected to major cities in North-East India, Guwahati, and Shillong. From Kohima, Guwahati is 352 km and Shillong is 414 km. Khonoma is at a distance of 20 km from Kohima. From Kohima HQ to Touphema Tourist Village is at a distance of 36 Km and from Kohima taxi service is available.

Tips for Travellers

Wherever you visit you need to be safe side always. You should be prepared to face any kind of challenging situation while visiting anywhere for the first-ever time.